


Persona 5: The Toll of Freedom

by Dream_Maiden



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: But only a little, F/M, Fluff, Persona 5 Spoilers, Persona Series References, Slow Burn, Yoshizawa Sumire POV, and as I figure out what tags to use, first person POV, more eventual tags as story develops
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:55:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 82,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25174963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dream_Maiden/pseuds/Dream_Maiden
Summary: The Phantom Thieves successfully won back their reality. Life goes on as normal for the now-ordinary students, but of course nothing is ever that simple. Everything has a price in the world mankind has created, even freedom from the pain in one's heart. Three men were touched by a malevolent curse and yet only two have been overcome. Plans put into motion years ago continue to grind out, the work of good and evil is never done.This story is about the Phantom Thieves, as their adventure continues once again. Naturally, heavy spoilers for P5R are a given as this follows from the ending. Chapters will be (ideally) posted weekly on Mondays at roughly just after midnight Pacific Standard Time.
Relationships: Persona 5 Protagonist/Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi
Comments: 10
Kudos: 26





	1. Her Mask

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Thanks for deciding to read my story, I thought I should preface it with a couple of things. Firstly, I'm using the name I came up with for the p5 protagonist, Takenaka Naoki, because the story delves into some of the history of the Takenaka family that a close friend and I came up with for a separate piece of cooperative writing. Naoki originated as a bit of a joke since the family has a history of Very Bad Luck, and Persona 5 cold opens with the protag being beaten by cops and accused of a bunch of wild crimes and having the classic dark hair and shady looking eyes of the Takenaka Family. It ended up being a perfect fit ultimately, and after the events of The Royal I was inspired to write some more of his story since he no longer felt like a blank slate but a fully actualized character. A part of me feels conflicted for imposing my own rendition of the protagonist on this story, when I could relatively easily swap just the names of him and his family with the one of the two default 'canon' protagonist names, but it didn't feel right? So... Here Naoki is instead. Along with him will be a couple other Original Characters to help the story along, though the cast will still primarily be the thieves. Secondly, stuff will get fairly heavy later on (ever play mainline SMT or DeSu?) and I'm not sure how necessarily graphic things will be, but there will be violence and fighting so I've tagged it as mature just to be on the safe side (Update, I've decided to lower it to teens and up since... Well, it hasn't seemed too heavy yet, but if people think otherwise I'll hike it back up). Finally, bear with me as the story has a bit of a slow start. I promise it will pick up by chapter 4 though! Hopefully you all enjoy it, and hopefully my quality of writing is at least passable.

_"Who decided that tomorrow will be a bright new day? Such proclamations are the source of man's anxiety. Peace lies with the cold, still past."  
_ -The Count

  
7/22 | Saturday | Sunny

I woke to the sound of my phone's alarm early in the morning as usual, and as wakefulness returned my mind wandered. It felt strange, returning to a normal daily life after the events of the past year. Even if I wasn't directly involved for the entire ordeal of the Phantom Thieves, my life took a strange turn alongside them. The pain of losing my sister hadn't left me, it likely never would, but rather than dwell on it I had learned to accept it. Her dream had become mine, and senpai shared it too. When I heard that he wanted to continue with our training and pursue a career in men’s gymnastics, I couldn’t contain my excitement. Not to mention it seemed like a natural fit for him given how incredible his movements were in the metaverse. The only problem was… He had returned home in March. It should have been a good thing, his probation was finally over after all. I couldn’t help but feel nervous though. Both because senpai leaving meant I couldn’t be together with him, and because his departure made me realize that I actually knew upsettingly little about Takenaka Naoki, the man I loved. He had never spoken of his family or what his living situation was like at home, or even where it was he lived. His connection to the world I knew felt thin, like a thread that had snapped the instant he moved out of the attic in LeBlanc…

“Ah! No Sumire, you’re better than that," I sat bolt upright in bed.  
  
After clapping my hands to my cheeks to snap myself out of my funk, I grabbed my phone and peeked back at last night’s conversation, choosing to ignore the pile of new messages in the Thieves’ chatroom. It still didn’t feel quite right to be a part of that chat for some reason; maybe because I had never actually formally joined the thieves, even if we had all become friends.

_\- Friday-_

_Sorry for getting up so suddenly. Father had a question about my summer schedule… :Sumire_

_Naoki: Don’t worry about it, I’m not going anywhere._

_I’m not either anymore! I’m in bed now. :Sumire  
_ _Have you ordered your ticket already? :Sumire_

_Naoki: Oh? What are you wearing?_

_Eh!? :Sumire  
_ _Se...Senpai! :Sumire  
_ _I’m… That’s... :Sumire_

_Naoki: Mm. Must be something racy if you’re this flustered._

_It’s just normal pajamas! :Sumire  
_ _Jeez… You’re always such a tease. :Sumire_

 _Naoki: I can’t help it if you’re going to react adorably every time.  
_ _Naoki: I reserved a seat today, don’t worry. Never thought I'd thank the metaverse so much._

_I can’t wait for you to see my performance. I wish we could dance together again. :Sumire_

_Naoki: Maybe we can do some training over the break._

_That sounds terrific! Coach Hiraguchi was pretty disappointed when she found out you left the city. :Sumire_

_Naoki: She wouldn’t be the only one._

_I miss you too, Naoki... :Sumire  
Ah, but I’m sure coach would be willing to help you out with a summer routine! :Sumire _

_Naoki: Sounds good.  
Naoki: I love you Sumire. Let’s get some sleep. _

_Did Mona-chan steal the phone? Hehe. :Sumire  
I love you too. Goodnight. :Sumire _

Even just reading such a simple exchange made my heart flutter. I wondered if that feeling would ever truly fade. I hoped it wouldn’t. Maybe it was overly clingy of me, but I felt compelled to message him. He probably wasn’t awake yet though; I got up earlier than average so I could prepare my own meals for the day.

_\- Today -_

_Good morning Naoki! I hope you had some nice dreams. :Sumire_

Today marked the last official day of school for Shujin Academy before summer break. The teachers had been rather candid about how happy they were there wasn’t another chain of bizarre incidents causing turmoil this year. But other than that, nobody really seemed to even talk about the Phantom Thieves anymore.

After changing out of my pajamas and into my school uniform, I quietly crept to the kitchen to prepare my lunch for the day, as well as a (relatively) small breakfast to keep myself energized throughout the morning. My mother and father were asleep still, which limited my options somewhat. I couldn’t make too much noise, since even though they wouldn’t mind I didn’t want to wake them up for no reason. I muttered to myself again, as was my habit when I was alone.

“Come to think of it… Senpai mentioned he did his own cooking too. I should send him a nutrition menu for proper exercise and muscle building," I murmured quietly to myself.

“Good morning, Sumire. Making breakfast?” A familiar voice called from the hallway.

“Eep! Father… Good morning. Did I wake you? I’m sorry fo-” I tried to apologize, but he cut me off before I could get started.

“No no, I was already up it's fine. We’re running a special for summer vacation hotspots. Can you start a pot of coffee for me?” He asked.

“Sure thing! Would you like me to prepare a thermos for you to bring to work?” I quickly replied. 

My father had always been very patient with me, and understanding and kind. I didn’t tell him the reason why I hadn’t been acting like myself last year; instead he likely came up with his own assumptions and, more importantly, was simply happy that I wasn’t quite as depressed anymore. When I asked out of the blue earlier this year if we could visit Kasumi on a ride home, I could tell he was shocked and worried. But I wanted to share my experiences with senpai and the resolve I found together with him. She might always have been with me, but it still felt like an important ritual. 

“Mm, that would be great. Thanks Sumire, you’ve really grown up into a reliable young woman," He said with a smile, shuffling into the kitchen and taking a seat at the table. “Meeting that young man must have had quite a positive effect on you.”

“Wh-wh… What!? Father you can’t just, I- he’s…” My mind short circuited as I felt the heat from my face as it matched the color of my hair.

“Hm? You had spoken so positively of him before, I had assumed..." He calmly teased as I turned my back to him and fumbled with a metal thermos.

“W-would you like some toast before you head out?” I struggled to say.

“Unfortunately not, I’ll have to grab something on my way to the station," He politely declined.

 _Calm down Sumire, you can’t let every single thing fluster you so easily! This is how senpai always wins._ I mentally scolded myself to calm down before handing father his coffee thermos. He embarrassed me with a surprise goodbye hug and left for the day, leaving me to finish my own morning routine. After finishing breakfast and packing my lunch, I returned to the bathroom to swap my glasses for contacts and took care of hygiene and makeup. Once satisfied with my hair and look for the day, I checked my phone to see how much time I had left only to be surprised by a notification right at that moment; Naoki-senpai had responded and the sense of tension that had been building up in my chest without my noticing released all at once, replaced with nervous excitement to see what he said.

_Naoki: Good morning, my princess. Too anxious for my return to peer at group chat?_

“Ah, ehehe. Guilty as charged," I nervously chuckled. 

Slipping into my shoes downstairs and briefly checking my surroundings as I left the house, with my school bag and wrapped lunch in my possession, I replied and hurried down the street.

_Sorry! I’ll look at it once I’m on the train. :Sumire_

There had been a lot of messages in the Thieves’ chat. I waited until I was in the train car and on the way to school before I actually looked at the most recent portion of the backlog.

_Skull: Hell yeah! It's been a while._

_Fox: It may have only been half a year, but it feels as though it's been far longer.  
_ _Fox: Indeed, I look forward to the feast we shall prepare for your return._

_Skull: Dude, nobody even mentioned food…_

_Noir: That’s wonderful news! I’ll have to set aside some time for us to get together again._

_Fox: But surely we’ll have a grand celebration, no?_

_Queen: I think Ann is still out of the country…  
_ _Queen: It would be around 5 in the morning for her right now, by the way._

_Skull: Oh yeah, she’s still in the Americas, bummer._

_Queen: We’ll just have to arrange something for when she’s in Japan as well._

_Oracle: Yeah! We’ve got the whole summer to work with after all.  
_ _Oracle: But what about Sumire~ I bet she’d be the most excited to hear.  
_ _Oracle: :U_

_Joker: About that…_

_Skull: Is she busy at a training camp or something?_   
_Skull: Come to think of it, she hasn’t said much._

_Oracle: As oblivious as ever, Ryuji._

_Skull: What!?_

_Queen: She was most likely the first one to find out._

_Joker: She let me know when her meet would be.  
Joker: So I could advance my plans._

_Skull: You really love acting shady don't you?  
_

_Joker: Like moss._

_Queen: That makes sense.  
_ _Queen: We should arrange a time to meet up.  
_

_Noir: Where should we gather though?_

_Joker: Our hideout, of course._

_Oracle: Oh! Sojiro would definitely be game for that.  
_ _Oracle: Unless we wanna surprise him?  
Oracle: He'll probably put on a tsundere routine either way :v_

_Skull: Is Sumire's competition gonna be broadcasted?_

_Joker: You’ll have to ask her for the details._

_Fox: Witnessing her grace televised would be a paltry comparison to seeing it first-hand._

_Skull: Dude… It's not like we'd be using a black and white tv._

_Fox: True, it would still be enjoyable to see her performance, regardless of the medium._

_Skull: Sometimes I feel like you don't even actually read._

_Oracle: Pot and kettle, round 1, fight!_

_Noir: Feel free to tell us when your performance is, Sumire!  
Noir: I'd definitely like to watch it, even if it might not be in person._

_Oracle: *crickets*  
Oracle: She might not read this chat much.  
_ _Oracle: I bet Inari’s weird obsession with her outfit spooked her._

 _Fox: It was not weird.  
_ _Fox: I simply believe a more colorful pattern would draw more attention._

_Queen: I'm pretty sure it'd be the wrong kind of attention.  
Queen: But it is strange she hasn't spoken much._

_Skull: Eh she’s prolly just in bed already._

_Queen: It is rather late._

_Noir: True… Perhaps tomorrow then.  
Noir: I'm excited to see everyone again._

_Queen: Yes, it's been too long._

_\- Today -_

_Panther: Oh, I was asleep yeah.  
_ _Panther: I’ll be heading back to Japan for a photoshoot in early August though!  
_ _Panther: Let's meet up as soon as I'm back!  
Panther: Or rather, I'll crash the party I guess?  
_ _Panther: It’s been fun overseas but I’ve missed hanging out with you all more than I thought I would._

I felt slightly bad that I hadn’t checked at all on my own. All these messages were dated before I had actually slept. They all looked like they were having a good time too. And the whole time I had been talking to Naoki-senpai. Most of the time I didn’t feel like I belonged there. So much of their shared experience was long before I came into the picture and… _No Sumire, don’t weigh yourself down with negative thoughts like that. It won’t do any good._ I cut my own train of thought off before it could spiral down further. While I had been doing better than before, I still often got trapped in my own head and twisted up by my feelings. All I could do right now is apologize and reply. It’s not like they would be upset if I were honest about it. It was just guilt and my own thoughts that were holding me back…

 _Hello everyone. :Violet  
Sorry for not saying anything last night… :Violet  
_ _The meet’s the day after tomorrow at 10am, but it’ll go all day. :Violet_

I let out a small sigh, which ended up attracting attention from the people packed all around me. I hastily bowed an apology out, feeling my phone buzz in my hand.

 _Skull: Dude you don’t gotta apologize for that!  
_ _Skull: Not like everyone checks the chat every minute.  
_ _Skull: Other than Futaba I guess.  
_ _Skull: But she doesn’t count!_

_Oracle: I do too!_

_Panther: I think Ryuji’s trying to say that there’s no pressure.  
_ _Panther: Nobody's going to be offended because you didn't say hi.  
Panther: Regardless of whatever reason it might be, I should add._

_Skull: Yeah, that!_

_Oracle: Nice, Ryuji._

_Skull: They knew what I meant!_

_Queen: Good morning everyone.  
_ _Queen: I’m afraid I won’t be able to make it to the meet in person, but I’ll make sure to have a device on hand to watch it.  
_

_Oracle: If it’s broadcasting online I could set up a private stream for us._

_Skull: Ohh, nice one Futaba!_

_Panther: We could all chat live about it, kind of like if we were there for real._

_Queen: If Sumire is okay with that, of course._

_That sounds wonderful! I look forward to seeing what you all think about my routine. :Violet  
_ _I’m not sure if the event will be broadcast online but you’re more than welcome to chat over it! :Violet_

_Queen: That sounds like a plan then._

_Oracle: You think Naoki will end up photo-bombing?_

_Skull: Naonao's definitely got that kinda aura about him doesn’t he!?_

_Joker: I’ll be as unassuming as possible._

_Skull: I dunno man, feels like that usually just makes you stick out more._

_Joker: I'll be as demure as moss._

_Skull: You're never letting that go, are you?_

_Joker: Moss is very clingy._

_Fox: The splendor of moss is not to be understated._

_Skull: Doesn't that just prove my point though...  
Skull: Wait, moss ain't supposed cool!_

It was exactly as I thought; none of them were at all upset with me. Of course this pattern had repeated itself several times since the new year, but each time I felt bad for doubting them all over again. Honestly it felt as though senpai could have simply told them when it was and they would have been just fine, if I had asked him to. But knowing him, he probably was specifically trying to push me to do it myself; he had that sort of tough but fair attitude when it came to people he cared for. As though to confirm my suspicions, I saw he sent me more messages in private.

 _Naoki: Remember they’re all your friends too, you can rely on them as well.  
_ _Naoki: I’m not the sole person tying everyone together.  
_ _Naoki: Hopefully you haven’t been getting tangled up in your own head too much.  
_ _Naoki: Even if I’m not with you in person, I’m always by your side looking over you._

With how often he made jokes in his disarming manner, lines like those always struck me that much more powerfully. Maybe that was the true power of his charismatic aura.

_I know, but it’s just... :Sumire_

_Naoki: You’re just as much a member of our group as anyone else.  
_ _Naoki: It doesn’t matter when you joined, or if we're still the Phantom Thieves or just people._

_Yeah, you’re right. Sorry Naoki. :Sumire_

_Naoki: Give it your best today, we’ll see each other tomorrow._

_Right! :Sumire  
_ _I miss you a lot. :Sumire_

_Naoki: I miss you too. I’m looking forward to this month._

I felt my heart swell as I thought of Naoki-senpai. It had only been four months since he left but it felt so much longer than that. I was so caught up in the feeling that I almost missed my stop; thankfully a fellow student grabbed my attention by stepping out onto the platform. I quickly followed suit after putting my phone away, and shuffled along with the crowd toward campus. The other students walking alongside made smalltalk with their friends, occasionally someone would subtly point me out and talk about the “Honor Student” and about the special treatment I continued to receive. Out of everything, that bothered me the least. Senpai had gone through much more horrible rumor-mongering, and he never once let it faze him. The more irritating part was that I _received_ special treatment to begin with. It helped with balancing my studies and practice, but it was excessive and felt unfair to the other students. There was no need for me to be excused from school trips or activities, and if anything it made it harder to make friends.

“Senpai? Ah, wait up!” A youthful voice called out from behind me, pulling my gaze towards the underclassman running my way.

Her name was Narukami Akemi, a first year who joined the gymnastics team this year and… Sort of was a fan of mine, I think. It honestly felt surreal that anyone would look up to _me_ of all people. When I originally told Naoki-senpai he laughed and said it was either a sign of my personal growth, or that I had inherited his natural charisma. At first I didn't really know how to handle her, I fumbled over myself trying to give her gymnastics advice. Eventually I realized it wasn't any different from helping anyone else, like what I had done with senpai. I may have been living as Kasumi then, but those lessons and memories still stuck with me. Over the course of the spring term, Akemi and I became friends and training partners at school.

I waited patiently for the girl with dark grey eyes and eye-catching silver hair tied in a loose braid to catch up to me, matching her brisk walking pace once she had. Any time someone would start mumbling about her associating with me, a disapproving frown usually quieted them down. I didn’t want her to have people mumbling about her just because she chose to associate with me… Perhaps that protectiveness of an underclassman was what Naoki-senpai had meant? It certainly felt instinctual at least. Or perhaps it was just because her eyes reminded me of Naoki-senpai himself. Although, Akemi's gaze and expression were softer than Naoki's always was; he had mentioned at some point that harsh looking eyes ran in his family.

“Hey! Looking forward to the competition tomorrow?” She asked after catching up and we continued our trek toward school.

“It’s on Monday actually," I replied.

“Oh. Right! Good thing I've got my phone to keep track of dates for me, haha. I bet you’ll do super well though! Are there any special routines you do beforehand?” She continued her interrogation. “Or maybe you have some kind of good luck charm?”

“I used to," I replied honestly, “In a way… You could say I still have a good luck charm, but it’s nothing fancy or divine in nature," I felt my cheeks warm up as the answer appeared in my mind, his sharp eyes and kind smile looking at me in his patient and understanding way.

I had given up the habit of buying charms and praying for good luck before major events, deciding instead to trust in myself and senpai’s faith in me. The dream Kasumi and I shared was too important to be decided by something as flimsy as a paper charm.

“Hmm~ Is it someone senpai likes? Sometimes you get this really faraway look in your eye after practicing a routine you know," She remarked.

Akemi had a habit of being rather direct most of the time. Maybe that's why she tended to rub people the wrong way. I'd never bring it up to her, but it seemed like she didn't have any friends at school. It reminded me a bit of myself. 

“Y...yeah. He attended Shujin last year, and helped me through a difficult part of my life," I said after hastily collecting myself. “He went back home at the start of this school term, but I know he’s still watching over me. Plus he’s planning on travelling back to see the meet in person.”

“Whoa~ That sounds so romantic! I hope I can meet someone like that someday," She said dreamily.

“So long as you’re true to yourself, I’m sure you will Akemi-chan," I replied.

When we arrived at the school gates, any lingering clouds hovering over my mood had completely vanished. It felt like a good sign, starting the last school day before summer vacation on such a high note.

—

Because it was the last day of school and I was representing Shujin Academy at the competition, I was stuck having to listen to the teachers lecture me on the importance of maintaining proper behavior and etiquette. Even though I had maintained a spotless record they were still paranoid after the events of the prior year, and my association with a certain person they continued to consider a 'problematic element', which meant that instead of training or studying with my extra time today… I was sitting in a room listening to the newly instated principal and head of the physical education department impart their wisdom.

“...and that’s why we can’t afford to have any mistakes made. Understand that we have high expectations of you, but they are not without reason or backing," The principal said, finally finishing his long-winded speech.

“Of course we have the utmost faith in your capabilities, Yoshizawa-san, but this is our chance to finally earn back our good reputation and set the events of last year behind us," The P.E. instructor added.

“Yes, I understand. I’m confident in my routine, and I won’t do anything to jeopardize the school’s reputation. That would be bad for me as well," I politely answered.

It was difficult to maintain my patience when everything they were asking of me felt redundant and borderline insulting. Worse even was that it felt so selfish and childish on their behalf. Plastering a student with their demands to improve their own image rather than being an institution on the students’ behalf felt low. Neither of the two people before me actually _cared_ what my dreams or aspirations were. They were just concerned with their own reputation and image. It's no wonder Naoki-senpai and the Phantom Thieves ended up taking action last year.

“Will that be all for today?” I asked, masking my eagerness to leave as best I could.

The two of them sighed in response, the principal nodding at the P.E. instructor to speak. “So long as you know what’s at stake for our school, yes. Go home and get some rest before the competition. They’ll be expecting you two hours early at Komazawa; make sure you leave with plenty of time to spare. The trains will be packed for summer vacation. And get a full night’s rest first," He droned on, repeating himself for what felt like the fifth time.

“Understood. I’ll make sure to leave myself an extra hour of transit wiggle room," I resisted the urge to frown. 

“Very well then, dismissed," He said with a satisfied nod, freeing me from my role as a captive audience.

By the time I had left campus the sun had already started to set. I expected my father would be messaging me soon to ask if I needed a ride back home. He had relaxed his overbearing over-protectiveness compared to last year; I couldn’t blame him for being concerned about his daughter’s well-being, especially at night. Losing a daughter had been just as rough for my parents as it had been for me, if not even more so. Add in my bizarre behavior and it’s no wonder he had hardly wanted me going out at all. Senpai had said that it was a wonderful thing my dad was so concerned for me; and while I agreed, I noticed how there was a twinge of sadness to his usually unreadable expression when he said it. I had never once heard senpai bring up his parents, and he always seemed to have an air of almost awkward aloofness whenever anyone did. I don't think his parents even once contacted him for his entire probation, either. It was like they had wanted nothing to do with him until his name was cleared. From what I gathered they were alive and well too, so it wasn't a case of him not having any parents as seemed to be the case with several of the Thieves; it felt wrong to intrude on the topic… Especially considering everyone else's situations made broaching the conversation awkward. I would have to ask him eventually though.

Making a mental note to myself and bringing my thoughts back to my surroundings, I noticed I had arrived at the station right as my phone began to ring. It was almost comforting how predictable my father’s timing could be…

“Hello, father?” I answered the phone quietly in a corner of the station, hoping not to bother the other commuters too much.

“Yes it’s me. Are you on your way home, Sumire?” He asked, the same hint of tension that had been there since last year creeping out as it always did.

“Yes, I’m just now at the station. I’m sorry. The school held me up for a bit. I didn't manage to get any training done, so I'll be doing some exercise on my way home.” I said, my gaze landing on my shoes.

“Was there some sort of trouble with the school?” He asked.

“No no, not at all!” I raised my voice compulsively, wincing when I attracted the attention of the people passing by. “They were just worrying over the details of the competition is all.”

“I see… Monday at 10am, right? Will you need a ride there?” He asked, the tension in his voice subsiding.

“That’d be fantastic! They want me there two hours before the event starts, and the trains will be packed more than usual all day thanks to summer break probably. But wouldn’t it be an inconvenience for you?” I worriedly asked.

“Of course not! Especially not for my daughter’s debut on a national stage," He amicably answered. “Will I need to escort someone alongside you? Or will he be arranging his own transportation.”

“I-I’m… Not sure, I’ll ask him on my way home and hopefully have an answer for you then," I said, the announcement of the train’s arrival drowning out the back half of my sentence.

“Alright. I’m sorry for tying you up, I’ll let you get onto the train now. Be safe on your way home Sumire," He apologetically said.

“I will. I love you father," I quickly said before hanging up and rushing to line up and board the train.

Once on board I found a seat and gazed back down at my phone. A silver lining to being held up at school was that it wasn’t quite as crowded as it otherwise would have been on a Saturday. It looked like Ryuji had been complaining in the group chat about school while everyone started making plans for the summer already. I scrolled through the messages, replying once caught up,

 _Skull: Man, I can’t focus at all today.  
_ _Skull: How do they expect us to pay attention on the last day before summer break!?_

_Panther: But you don’t pay attention normally._

_Skull: Ain’t it like midnight over there?_

_Panther: Yeah, can’t sleep at all. This dry heat is murder on my skin._

_Queen: Ryuji pay attention to your class._

_Oracle: Yeah Ryuji, focus on your studies!_

_Skull: Uh, aren’t you in class too?_

_Oracle: It’s just math, I already finished the whole book.  
_ _Oracle: I kinda thought people would be weirded out but it’s made me sorta popular…  
_ _Oracle: Could Naoki have given me some kind of hidden buff?_

_Skull: They prolly just want homework answers…_

_Queen: Make sure to instruct them how to solve the problems rather than just giving them the solutions._

—

 _Noir: I’m finished with meetings for the day, in case anyone wants to schedule summer vacation events!  
_ _Noir: President Takakura was wondering if I would be busy with other obligations or not._

_Queen: I won’t be able to make it to Shibuya until Tuesday at the earliest.  
Queen: Don’t hold back for my sake though. _

_Oracle: I’ll be at Sojiro’s for the summer so I’m set to meet up whenever._

_Noir: Ooh, I’ve missed Sakura-san’s coffee._

_Fox: Yes, the atmosphere of LeBlanc is truly splendid in the summer._

_Oracle: Funny way to say AC, Inari :v_

_Fox: I will not deny that is part of the joy it brings.  
Fox: A cool breeze, the scent of coffee, and a nice book.  
Fox: Ah! That's it!_

_Oracle: Someone's feeling inspired._

_Since Naoki will be at the meet, we can head over together. :Violet  
I will be ready to hang out any time after the meet on Monday! :Violet_

_Oracle: Right away? Sure you won’t be too tired?_

_Hm? I’m sure I’ll be fine to spend some time with friends. :Violet  
_ _Plus after working up such a huge appetite, having the Boss’s curry would be delightful! :Violet_

 _Noir: Won’t that be the first time Naoki will be back in town?  
_ _Noir: Not to assume, but won't the two of you want some time alone?_

 _...Oh! :Violet  
_ _Um, well. :Violet  
_ _Technically he’s supposed to arrive the night before. :Violet  
_ _And… :Violet  
_ _Erm… :Violet_

_Noir: Perhaps we should wait to see how Naoki feels._

_Has anyone heard from him today? :Violet_

_Skull: Not since this mornin'.  
Skull: But I mean, he's a quiet dude._

I must have made a noise out loud, as I noticed some of the other passengers were staring in my direction. I was so caught up in the excitement of Naoki's return, I hadn’t even thought about the fact that there would be plenty of time for us to have to ourselves. The start of this year may have contained some of the best days of my life in them, but it was also a very difficult time, both for me personally and the group as a whole, and there had been a lot of pressure weighing on all of us to… Well save our world, more or less.

 _Sorry for getting ahead of myself in the group chat, Naoki! :Sumire  
_ _I just started thinking about you and everyone being back and... :Sumire  
_ _Well, the point is I’m fine doing anything you want to do, plan-wise! :Sumire_

I let out a (silent) breath of air and put my phone away. Rather than wait with baited breath for senpai to reply, I did my best to decompress after dealing with the overbearing instructors. A part of me wished I had transferred out of the school along with everyone else, but from a practical standpoint it just didn’t make sense. Shujin Academy was pushing their image as an athletic institution, and its location was convenient for my family. In that respect my answer was made before I even had the chance to ponder if I should or not. Given how the moment a new principal stepped the higher ups went right back to their usual game of politicking, it wasn’t something I could stand up to and fix on my own. The entire administration department would probably have to be replaced for something like that to actually change. So instead I chose to bear with it and think of Naoki-senpai instead when times became tough.

By the time I stepped off the train and out of the station the sun had set and the muggy night air had settled in, only occasionally broken up by a much needed gentle breeze. Glancing down at my phone, I noticed senpai had replied,

 _Naoki: Yeah…  
_ _Naoki: Sounds good._

But his reply was obviously lacking, as if he was distracted by something while responding. He hadn't said anything in the group chat either. Had I embarrassed him? We never actually _told_ everyone that we were a couple, come to think of it. Maybe I had stepped on his toes.

_Is something the matter senpai? :Sumire_

_Naoki: Ah, no. Just a phone call earlier.  
_ _Naoki: It’ll be nice to see everyone again._

 _Um… Did you… Happen to read what Haru wrote? :Sumire  
_ _I was thinking it might be nice if we figured out how to get a bit of private time after you arrive. :Sumire  
And I'm sorry if I embarrassed you! :Sumire_

_Naoki: I’d like that.  
Naoki: And it's fine, you didn't._

_Are you sure there’s nothing wrong? :Sumire  
_ _I’m here for you, you know. :Sumire_

Something seemed off about him, but I couldn't tell what exactly it could've been. Had he received some bad news over the phone? What could it even have been? Hopefully nothing that would delay his return to Shibuya. I knew so little about senpai; in spite of everyone offering their shoulder to him, he never seemed to take anyone up on that. It felt difficult to believe that anyone could be that indefatigable. It was frustrating to feel so helpless, I didn't even know where to begin putting that excess irritated energy. I saw he had replied again, and let out a breath to calm myself. As long as he said he was fine, I would put my faith in him.

 _Naoki: Yeah, it’s nothing.  
_ _Naoki: I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.  
_ _Naoki: I’d offer an invitation to the hotel I’m staying at, but I wouldn't want to send the wrong message…_

 _True, my dad already teases me about you. :Sumire  
_ _I don’t think he’d be comfortable with that, even knowing how trustworthy you are. :Sumire  
_ _Maybe we could have a nice date somewhere instead. :Sumire_

 _Naoki: Maybe we could visit the Ferris wheel in Odaiba.  
_ _Naoki: Although, will you be alright without any practice the day before the meet?_

 _I’ll be fine, especially with you there. :Sumire  
_ _Or would you rather have a training day together instead! :Sumire_

_Naoki: I’d rather relax after traveling, personally…_

_Oh? I thought you were excited about gymnastics though. :Sumire  
_ _Don’t tell me you haven’t even been doing the routines I’ve sent your way! :Sumire_

I giggled and clutched my phone to my chest, performing an unnecessary spin as I rounded a corner. It was rare to be on the offensive in the war of teases with senpai; I had to press my advantage while I could.

_Naoki: Every day. Snow, blizzard, or gale._

_But we’re in the middle of summer. :Sumire_

_Naoki: It’d be nice if the school here offered their facilities for practice._

_At least you’ve been able to stay in shape! :Sumire_

_Naoki: I could definitely still bench press the twins._

_Twins…? :Sumire_

It seemed like whatever that phone call was, his mood had bounced back into his usual jokes. At least I think they were jokes... Sometimes it felt more like he was being serious but masking it with deadpan humor, but no one could ever be too sure. Maybe that's why nobody seriously asked him about his past. 

Realizing I had let my legs wander along with my mind, I hurriedly made my way back home. The absolute last thing I wanted was to get caught up in some kind of trouble the night before senpai and I would be reunited at last. After jogging home I did some light stretches, I ate dinner with my parents, started on my summer homework, took a bath, and crawled into bed once it was late. It was a normal end to a normal day, and I silently prayed that every day could be like today. Maybe without the obnoxious teachers involved though.

I wanted to go to sleep right away so I could see Naoki sooner, but of course I was too busy thinking about him to actually properly fall asleep. We had already said goodnight to each other so I didn’t want to keep bothering him.

—

7/23 | Sunday | Cloudy

I woke up to the sound of my phone’s alarm early in the morning as usual. I’m not sure when I actually managed to fall asleep, but the first thing I did was check my phone for new messages. It seemed as though Ann had been catching up on messages she missed and was teasing Ryuji more. There had been nothing from senpai unfortunately. His train was supposed to arrive in the afternoon, around the time my training with coach Hiraguchi would be done, so I wasn’t worried about having to time a meet-up with him. We already agreed that he'd head over to meet me right after I was done so we could talk to coach together. I wasn't worried about him oversleeping either, with Morgana there to act as an alarm for him. I decided I wouldn’t stress myself out waiting for him to respond, since the sooner I tackled the day the sooner we’d be together again. That said, I still decided to text him like usual upon sitting up in bed,

 _Good morning Naoki! I hope you managed to get more sleep than I did. :Sumire  
_ _Ah but I’ll be fine! I’ll see you after practice today. :Sumire  
_ _I love you. :Sumire_

Satisfied, I pulled myself out of bed and got to my routine. Father would have already left this morning as he was a part of a morning show on Sundays, which meant that the kitchen smelled pleasantly of coffee and grilled fish. I barely paid any attention to my morning routine, my body on autopilot while my mind raced with thoughts about what Naoki-senpai and I would do together once we were reunited. Those thoughts carried me through the whole day, I felt like I could take on the entire world. A part of me wished the competition had been today instead of Monday, just because of how much I was in top form. It must have shown in my training too, because Hiraguchi commentated on it once we had finished for the afternoon.

“You seemed extra fired up today, Sumire. It’s good to see you’re taking the competition tomorrow so seriously," She stated.

“Yeah. I’m extra confident my routine will take first place!” I replied, head held high.

“I wasn’t even sure if you were listening to me, you didn’t pay any attention to your phone ringing in your bag. The last time you were this fired up was when _he_ was around," She chuckled. “Perhaps that was him calling to let you know he’s in town for summer? I'd like to see how much he's improved since I last saw him train. You said he was still interested in gymnastics himself, yes?”

“He is, yeah. Wait, s-senpai was calling me!? Oh no!” I stammered out, hurriedly collapsing my form and staggering up to my feet. “He's supposed to meet up with us here. I hope his train wasn't delayed for some reason.”

I practically dive-tackled my duffel bag and rifled through for my phone. There had been a couple missed calls, but they weren’t from senpai’s phone number… And I had a flood of notifications from everyone contacting me individually.

_\- Today -_

_Ryuji: Oi Sumire, are you alright!?  
_ _Ryuji: Say something in the group chat ASAP._

Dizziness struck my head immediately just from the tone of his message. I started to feel my chest tighten, but I pushed against the alarm in my mind and checked the rest of them.

_\- Today -_

_Makoto: Please get in touch with us as soon as you’re able to._

_\- Today -_

_Haru: Sumire, please talk to us if you need to._

What had happened… Nobody had really messaged me in private all that much, unless they needed to get in touch with just me for some reason. Much to the opposite of how everyone was trying to console me, my anxiety worsened. I saw Naoki-senpai himself had messaged me, and the dread welling up inside me worsened as I shakily tapped his name in the chat app.

_\- Today -_

_Naoki: Get in touch w the grope.  
_ _Naoki: It’s hrd to type on t this with paws.  
_ _Naoki: Sumire, this won’t be easy for you to hea r..._  
 _Naoki: But…  
_ _Naoki: Naoki won’t wake up._


	2. Course of Action

_"Time is an absolute property that cannot be seen or felt. But there is one comparable thing man can know it by. The transience of his heart... The torrent swirling within man cannot be stopped or seen. Yet it controls everything."  
_ -The Count

7/23 | Sunday | Cloudy

I nearly collapsed on the spot the instant those words hit me. It felt as though I had left reality and was in a cruel joke of a dream. Something happened to senpai on the day we were supposed to reunite? I refused to believe it. I responded to Naoki’s message in irritation,

_What do you mean ‘won’t wake up’!? :Sumire_

I didn't bother waiting for a reply before moving to the group chat. Maybe they knew what was happening.

 _Queen: Calm down everyone.  
_ _Queen: What do you mean? And I take it that's Morgana typing?_

_Oracle: How’re we supposed to stay calm after seeing something like that!?_

_Skull: You’re shittin’ me right?  
_ _Skull: What do you even mean you can’t wake him up!_

_Panther: He’s okay, right Mona? Are you okay?_

_Skull: Hey, shouldn’t we tell Sumire?  
_ _Skull: She might not be looking at this chat._

 _Queen: I’ll give her a call.  
_ _Queen: Let’s cool our heads and wait for Morgana. It most likely takes him longer to navigate the keyboard._

_Oracle: But… Naoki._

_Panther: Makoto’s right, Futaba. We need to believe in him…_

_Joker: there dosn’t seem to be anythimg wrongbwith him. He's just a sleep._

_Panther: Can you call a doctor?_

_Oracle: They’d just hear meowing tho,  
_ _Oracle: What about his parents, are they around!?_

 _Queen: Sumire isn't picking up her phone.  
_ _Queen: She might be preoccupied.  
_ _Queen: Did you already send her a message, Morgana?_

_Joker: I can’t contact a do tor. No, his parents… Are on a vaccination._

_Skull: Huh!?_

_Panther: Probably auto-correct on his phone…_

_Joker: I can omly type so fast! Left Sumire mesage._

_Oracle: ...What’s your address?  
_ _Oracle: I'll call an ambulance._

_Queen: Good thinking. In the meantime let’s arrange a time and place to meet.  
Queen: Perhaps we could convene at Naoki's hometown._

_Skull: I just shot Sumire another message. Think she’ll be okay?_

_Panther: I wish I could join you guys… Make sure he’s okay for me.  
_ _Panther: And make sure Sumire is too, I can’t imagine how she'll feel about this…_

 _Fox: I agree.  
_ _Fox: Sorry for my delayed response, I just caught up on what transpired._

_Joker: Amnbuilance would… Be a baf idea. Probavly_

_Oracle: What?  
_ _Oracle: Why!?_

_Fox: Perhaps because of the police keeping tabs on the Phantom Thieves?_

_Joker: Things here are aorse_

_Queen: As in, worse than the situation in Tokyo was?_

_Joker: Shujin._

“Sumire? Did something happen?” Hiraguchi's voice shook my attention back to reality.

“Coach, I…” My voice caught in my throat, and I realized my face was stained with tears. “Senpai… Naoki’s…”

Between the exhaustion from my routine and the maelstrom of doubt and worry and anxiety in my mind, I could hardly speak. I felt myself flop uselessly to my knees, my gaze slowly twisting to look at Hiraguchi’s perplexed expression as the world seemed to spin. Once she saw my reaction she rushed over to me with a frown and placed a hand on my shoulder.

“What happened Sumire. Are you okay?” Her voice was firm and even, and almost comforting.

“Naoki’s… Asleep... “ I said lamely. “Won’t wake up…”

“Hm? Was he in some sort of accident?” She asked.

“N-no. Just… In bed, I think," I replied.

_I must sound so stupid._

“This seems like a pretty severe reaction to him sleeping in… So I’m assuming that it’s something serious enough to warrant your reaction," She squeezed my shoulder. “I’m assuming a family member of his contacted you? He’ll be alright, trust in them and push it out of your mind for now. That’s the best you can do.”

Her advice wasn’t wrong, but it didn’t do much to calm me down. Not when Morgana had hinted at the situation being somehow worse than the notion that senpai was in _a_ _coma._ Why did it turn out like this!? This wasn’t fair! Why… What had I done wrong!? Hadn’t I found a new purpose with the three of us? Didn't I promise him I'd stand at the top of the world? And that I'd… Take care of him? I forced myself to take a deep breath. _Calm down, Sumire. Just calm down._

“Y...Yeah. Mm. I’m sure he’ll be okay. He has to be," I said, clearly doubting my own words. 

“Not only will he recover, but he’ll probably scold you if you didn’t give it your all tomorrow," Hiraguchi lightly chastised me.

“Right," I replied.

She obviously had an agenda for steering the conversation in that direction, but I know she was still doing it for my sake. And she was correct, too. It would have been so easy to give in to panic and anxiety and let myself drown in that whirlpool of worst-case what-ifs, but Naoki-senpai had shown me how to move past that. I stood back up and gave Coach Hiraguchi my assurance that I would be alright. Once she seemed satisfied she dismissed me for the day, but not before instructing me to get plenty of rest for tomorrow and to contact her if I needed anything. I took a seat at a bench on the edge of the gymnasium and pulled out my phone, noticing new messages from Naoki-senpai's phone.

 _Naoki: Sumire, please stay calm and listen.  
_ _Naoki: Things here… Are wors than they were last year.  
_ _Naoki: I had no ideea.  
_ _Naoki: I don’t know if this is relatwd but somethings off.  
Naoki: He got a phone call and seened diffrrent after.  
_ _Naoki: Pleas taljk to the others._

 _Phone call... :Sumire  
He did seem distant afterward. :Sumire  
_ _I'm not sure what to do, I still have the competition tomorrow to worry about. :Sumire  
_ _Perhaps I can say I’ve fallen ill? :Sumire_

 _Worse than last year? Worse than_ _**Shujin**!? _ I could hardly imagine what that would entail, and I didn’t exactly _want_ to either. I needed to get to him; the competition didn’t matter to me at that moment. If anything were to happen to him I’d…

_Naoki: I said stay clam!_

_Make up your mind then! :Sumire  
_ _I’m can't pretend I'm not worried when Naoki is in danger! :Sumire  
I could leave right now. I can take a train there, just tell me where he is. :Sumire_

_Naoki: Sumire!  
Naoki: Talk to the group.  
Naoki: Please_

Letting out a grumble of frustration, I decided to listen to Morgana's advice. Maybe _they_ would understand that we couldn't just _wait around_.

_Oracle: Got an address!_

_Skull: For real!? That was fast!_

_Oracle: It’s not exactly difficult when I have access to his phone’s GPS…  
_ _Oracle: But I’ll gladly accept praise all the same, hmhm!  
_ _Oracle: If only Inari had that level of tact._

_Fox: What’s this about me now!?_

_Noir: Should we try contacting Sumire again? I’m worried she hasn’t said anything…_

_What's the address. :Violet_

_Skull: Whoa! Sumire’s here.  
_ _Skull: Also what?_

 _Queen: Are you alright? I understand if you’re upset.  
_ _Queen: But according to Morgana, Naoki’s life isn’t in immediate danger.  
_ _Queen: We should plan things out first._

_Noir: And there’s the matter of the competition too right?_

_All I heard was he wouldn’t wake up. :Violet  
_ _I don’t think I’d be able to focus on the competition anyways. :Violet_

_Fox: That is understandable. I’m in no mood to create either after receiving this news._

_Queen: Still, it seems as though he’s in a safe place at least.  
_ _Queen: It would be unwise to move recklessly._

_Futaba, where’s his home address? :Violet  
We need to check on him asap. :Violet_

_Oracle: Jeez, hasty much?  
_ _Oracle: Makoto’s right… And wouldn't it cause trouble for your family?  
_

_Fox: Yes, hasty decisions will only complicate things further.  
Fox: We are with you in this, remember that._

_Great. So hurry up and share the address Futaba. :Violet  
We can't waste time sitting around doing nothing. :Violet_

_Skull: I know whatcha mean, but... Rushing in's not gonna help shit.  
_

_Oracle: Whoa, Ryuji talking sense for once.  
Oracle: It really is a serious situation._

_Skull: D'you think I'm just comic relief!?_

_Are any of you even taking this seriously!? :Violet  
His life is at stake! :Violet_

Did none of them care about Naoki!? Why were they trying to console me!? They should've been drilling Futaba for senpai's address! The calming words only frustrated me further, and without Futaba’s help I wasn't sure I’d be able to find his home myself. Why didn’t I just ask him before? Why didn’t I say anything? Maybe Futaba was already back in Shibuya. If so, I knew exactly where she’d be. So I hurriedly stuffed my phone into my bag and left, taking a train to Yongen-Jaya and ignoring the buzzing of my phone.

The trip served to cool my heated temper somewhat,. Even if their reactions felt lukewarm at best, they were still looking out for me. Just as Naoki had said, they were my friends too. _I let my feelings spill over again. I shouldn't have lashed out like that._ My feet reflexively carried me down the streets towards LeBlanc, where Naoki-senpai had always been… The instant I remembered that senpai wouldn't be waiting for me there, I felt my face heat up with tears, embarrassment, and shame. Had I even really grown at all since the start of the year? I felt more like a car stuck in mud, spinning my wheels the moment senpai set me back down… What would Kasumi say if she saw me stumbling over something like this now. Why did I even decide to come here? Just to get uselessly angry at Futaba? I was just scrambling for a thread, for anything I could grasp onto that would tie me back to Naoki…

“Hmm? Aren’t you one of Naoki’s…" A voice startled me out of my thoughts. “Yoshizawa-san, right? Come to think of it you visited the shop on Valentines too…”

“Huh…? Oh, Sakura-san. Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going…” I didn't bother lifting my head to address him properly.

“Did something happen? ...Here, come in the shop," He gestured toward the door.

I took him up on his kind offer and let him lead me into the coffee shop. Sakura-san must have been outside having a smoke break considering how he smelled, but when I entered the blend of curry and coffee immediately brought fresh memories of senpai to my mind. I felt the tide of emotion well up inside of me again; only this time my exhaustion and depression won out, and I slumped into a stool at the counter. My vision blurred with the beginning of fresh tears.

Sakura Sojiro, the owner of the coffee shop and the man the Phantom Thieves affectionately called “The Chief”, looked at me with a bemused expression. After a moment, he slipped a cup of coffee in front of me and sighed.

“You can stay for as long as you need to calm down. I’m not going to pry into his affairs but… Something happened to the kid again, didn’t it?” He somberly said.

My eyes widened in shock as I stared up at him in surprise.

“How did you-” I started.

“Futaba came home earlier today, and almost immediately holed up in her room with a grim look on her face. Was hoping she'd be happy to see me again after a semester of school, but I chalked it up to something going on the net. Then I bump into you and, well," He explained.

His insight was something else… Or probably more likely, my feelings were just painted on my face.

“If you need someone to talk to, I could go grab Futaba," He offered.

I didn't really feel like talking to anyone, at that moment. My frustration had subsided, replaced with guilt for snapping at my friends and self-loathing for not being any better than that. There’s no doubt that Naoki would've been disappointed in me. But come to think of it, Sakura-san always acted like he knew senpai, or at least knew something about his situation. I was desperate for information on Naoki and his family; anything that the chief could offer I’d gladly take, but I wasn't sure how to ask.

“Honestly, that guy… If he were here I’d give him a knock on the head for this," He grumbled on unprompted. “Maybe I should’ve spoken up about it after all…”

“What do you mean?” I nervously asked.

“About him staying here. You’re his girlfriend, right? How much has he told you about his family situation," He said, a stern frown creasing his brow.

I shook my head, my heart skipping half a beat. “H-honestly, almost nothing. So much happened, it never felt like there was a good opportunity to ask. Do you… Know something?”

“I doubt the kid would’ve said anything, but it’s nice to see he found someone as considerate as he is," He sighed out, glancing past me into the distance. “His dad and I were old friends back in college, and that was where he met a woman named Takenaka Ayako. She was one of those classic beauties, raven black hair, regal demeanor, pale and thin, that kinda thing. She wasn't bad looking, but I guess it was a personal weakness of his, considering the guy went head over heels for her before even talking to her. It was embarrassing to watch. Anyway, the family was fairly notorious or something. I guess they descended from a line of nobles and had a specific way of doing things, so he had to change his last name to match the family’s when he and Ayako were wed. But the part that people always talked about was that apparently the Takenaka family is cursed with misfortune or something. Didn’t stop Shouichi from marrying Ayako. The guy didn't care the slightest bit about rumors or what rules he had to go through to get with her.”

He picked up his own cup of coffee, rubbing the back of his head with a sad smile.

“A-are you telling me Naoki-senpai’s in a coma because of a _curse_ on his family!?” I couldn’t keep the hysteria out of my voice. I quickly lowered my head in an apology. “Sorry! B-but it's just…”

“Whoa whoa, a coma? What on earth happened to him?” Sakura-san replied, his cup frozen halfway up to his mouth.

“I’m… Not really sure. I should have asked Mona for more details," I mumbled.

“You mean the cat? …You kids are one bizarre group," He shrugged his shoulders as he turned to fiddle with one of the coffee pots.

“Um. It might be rude of me to ask… But I’d like to know more about Naoki-senpai’s family. And why he wouldn’t talk about them… Or why it’d be worse there than here," I probed.

I needed _something_ I could latch onto. Something to explain what had happened to put Naoki-senpai in the situation he was in. Or why that phone call would have upset him so much.

Sojiro scratched his chin thoughtfully for a few moments, gazing at me before relenting.

“I never asked for the details myself, but Ayako died when he was real young. It was a real shock to the whole family, Shouichi was inconsolable from what I heard." He paused, looking guilty. "If I had been a better friend, perhaps I would have reached out to him then. But we hadn't kept contact at all after college."

 _I could sympathize with that._ I thought to myself.

"She was survived by her husband and three kids, though Naoki's the only one I ever met. Before he was sent here, all I knew about him was that Shouichi and him were on real bad terms; when I spoke to his dad last he sounded like he thought the kid was a demon in the flesh," He paused, grimacing slightly. “I was surprised he even reached out to me honestly. It had been years since we even talked. Apparently he remarried a couple years ago, and his new wife was the one who pushed him to getting in touch with me. I ended up talking more to her than him when we were actually coordinating things, it felt like. She mentioned Shouichi was slipping back into some bad habits after Naoki had that assault charge slapped on his record. Seemed like he thought the kid was plotting his death for whatever reason.”

“You mean… They sent Naoki-senpai away because they thought he was a psychopath!? That’s awful…” I said aghast.

“I didn’t actually know anything about the kid when he first showed up; I just took him in as a favor for an old college friend who I had neglected before… I really was too harsh on Naoki though. Maybe I had bought into the rumors about him and his family too. Then again, he did get into an awful mess of trouble last year," He grumbled and rubbed the back of his head while smiling wryly. “Still, he’s a good kid. The only curse on that family as far as I’m concerned is the one where people go around besmirching their reputation on a baseless rumor. I’m guessing that’s why your cat said it was more rough for him back home.”

“I see. Thank you for sharing all that," I said.

It was shocking, and slightly horrifying, to hear that his parents had abandoned him at the very first sign of trouble when it wasn’t even his fault. He was the kindest and most compassionate man I knew. _There's no way he could ever be a demon! Although…_ My thoughts wandered back to January, when I was still running from myself and what had happened to my sister. The time when senpai had… Snapped. I’d never forget the look he had when I drew my sword on him. The dull lifelessness in his eyes and dangerous smile that pierced through me. _Betrayal,_ was the unspoken word from him then. Nor could I forget the way he carried himself, clutching his face while muttering to himself like he had been possessed. _A curse, huh?_ It was mostly a blur after that, but I remembered his maddened expression, the tortured grief in his eyes as he struck at me; even Akechi-san had looked bewildered by senpai’s shift in demeanor… Though I couldn’t tell if he had been worried or excited about it.

Afterward in this very cafe a day later, Naoki-senpai and I had shared an awkward silence. I apologized for going crazy and attacking him, and for running away. It surprised me, that he seemed shocked and said it should’ve been him apologizing. I thought for a moment that he looked almost brittle when he spoke then. Like he had lost something, or someone. Maybe that's when I should've asked him about his family… But I was too wrapped up in my own head with my own problems, and I brushed aside his words of apology as unnecessary. I probably shut down his attempt to open up and explain himself, then and there. _He never opened his heart to anyone, did he?_ I thought to myself. _We relied on him for everything, pushed all our problems onto him, and offered him platitudes of support. But did any of us truly attempt to meddle in his affairs or worries? The only time it even seemed like he might have been trying to, I shut him down._

I sighed and slumped into my arms on the counter top as Sakura-san’s gaze turned towards the doorway. A small jingle signaled the arrival of a customer, and I hurriedly pulled myself back upright and flashed a polite smile before noticing it was Futaba.

“H-hey, Sumire…” She fumbled with her words, immediately throwing her gaze towards the floor.

“Futaba? I thought you wanted me to bring your dinner back to your room for you," Sakura-san said in surprise.

“I do, but… Is it okay if I talk to Sumire for a bit first," Futaba mumbled at the ground.

“I’ll leave you two to it, then. Come get me if either of you need anything," The chief excused himself from his cafe, while Futaba walked up to me.

“I’m so-” She tried to say.  
  
“I’m sorry!” I spoke over her, bowing my head deeply. “No matter the justification, I lost my temper with my friends and should be better than that.”

When I raised my head back up her eyes had widened in surprise. She perched herself on a stool, hugging her knees.

“Eh? No it’s fine. It was just a single sentence. Everyone was just worried about your well-being. I mean, you and Naoki are a couple so…” She trailed off.

Ah, right. She had senpai’s phone wiretapped. Which means she’d know… Not that it was a big secret, we just didn't bring it up with anyone. We didn’t want to draw _more_ attention to ourselves, especially with the police keeping tabs on the thieves. But… That meant Futaba would have seen our private conversations, which meant…

“Does that mean you’ve been… Peeking at our messages?” I asked nervously.

“Hmm? Oh! No. I’m not going to enter a restricted zone without GM Permission,” She said.

“So then… How did you-” I started, staring at her in confusion.

“It’s kinda obvious isn’t it? I mean just look at the routines the two of you pulled off in the metaverse together. There’s no way you could’ve done that without maxing out your bond stats! Plus Naoki fretted over you constantly, last year I mean,” She pushed the bridge of her glasses up with a wide smirk.

“He was!?” My mouth hung open in shock. “I mean, I knew that he was a very kind person and worried about his friends but…”

“Mwehehe, he probably had a crush on you for quite a while,” Futaba clarified.

“S-s-s-so that means everyone already…” I stuttered.

“Naoki never seemed like he was keeping your relationship particularly secret. But I guess… That’s only because he was keeping something else secret from us,” Futaba said.

My embarrassment immediately subsided.

“He never even told me. I can only imagine the kinds of things he went through. I still want to help him, or save him or whatever I need to do to bring him back,” I said, clarifying when I saw Futaba about to respond. “I’m not going to rush off, I wouldn’t even be able to. I don’t have the money for it on hand, my parents would immediately find out, and… Well, you understand. My real concern is that I won’t be able to go even after the competition. Coach will want me to do training to improve upon my routine’s weaknesses regardless of the actual outcome. And I'm not confident I'll be able to keep my composure the whole time.”

“Wow no summer break? ...As expected of a diamond league athlete. But you’re not the only one who wants to help. Everyone else is adjusting their schedules so we can meet up sooner and head there,” Futaba said. "Makoto even said she's pushing back her other plans to meet with us here tomorrow! Haru too, so other than Ann we'll have more or less the full team."

“I see,” I sighed. “Let me know how it goes.”

“Furthermore~ I went digging for info online about Naoki's family... But someone had scrubbed almost all the info off the net. I couldn’t find anything useful or any clue on what might’ve happened to him. It creeped me out honestly, it's like someone was covering up a huge conspiracy or something like that. And I don’t think it was Shido’s cronies either, whoever did it didn't leave any traces or hints behind.” She explained. “And you should still say something to your coach. I’m sure Naoki would be sad to see you concede before you’ve even built a pylon!”

“I’m not sure I understand what you mean but… He… Probably would,” I muttered.

“Mm, maybe we could all talk with your coach too or something. Makoto would probably know which conversation branch to pick!” Futaba said.

“I think it’d be best if I spoke to her myself, but thank you,” I declined.

I took my phone out of my bag, looking at the missed calls and making sure my father wasn’t among them before sending a message to the group chat,

_I’m sorry if I worried any of you. :Violet_

_Fox: Welcome back, Sumire.  
_ _Fox: I take it Futaba has finished speaking with you?_

_We’re still at the cafe, I just felt compelled to apologize for my outburst. :Violet_

_Skull: Man if everyone did that every time they got pissed I’d never not be apologizin’!_

_Panther: That'd probably be an improvement honestly._

_Queen: We’re glad you’ve calmed down and are safe.  
_ _Queen: Has Futaba told you our plan?_

 _Oracle: I gave her the gist of it.  
_ _Oracle: tl;dr we’re meeting up and goin’ to visit his hometown this week._

_Yeah… I’ll have to talk to my coach after the competition, but I’m not optimistic. :Violet_

_Noir: If need be we could intervene on your behalf as well!_

_Futaba already offered, but I think it’d be best if I spoke to her myself. :Violet  
_ _It might help if I had a specific time frame, but… :Violet_

 _Queen: True, it would be easier to schedule practice that way.  
_ _Queen: Unfortunately we don’t know the full situation.  
_ _Queen: There’s not any guarantee we could be in and out just like that…  
Queen: In the worst case we might not be able to stay around to see him recover._

_Noir: I wouldn't want to overstep either.  
Noir: I'm sure his family would feel better with more privacy._

_Skull: Assumin' they even give an eff about him._

_Fox: To throw him out and reel him back at their convenience.  
Fox: It doesn't instill much confidence in me honestly.  
Fox: They never tried to contact him during his stay here either, no?_

_Skull: Shitty adults bein' shitty, what else is new?  
Skull: Hey I know! Why not just take the whole summer off?  
_ _Skull: You could still practice while on a road trip with us after all!_

_Panther: Uh, I don’t think that’ll fly with her coach…  
Panther: Also who said anything about a road trip?_

_Skull: Eh? Why not. It'd be fun!  
Skull: We could do camping 'n shit._

_Panther: At least wait for me!  
_

_Queen: That sounds nice, but we should prioritize Naoki._

_Fox: Camping… Outdoors. Grilling fish over an open flame._

_Oracle: Isn't that kind of really high level!?  
_

_Noir: Sumire is training to be an international athlete.  
_ _Noir: Her coach is probably very strict about her training regime.  
Noir: Most likely she wouldn't be able to join us for that._

 _Skull: I get that, y’know. But ain’t Naoki her boyfriend?  
_ _Skull: I mean, I’m skippin’ summer track stuff._

“Even Ryuji knows!?” I blurted out.

“Told ya it was obvious,” Futaba smirked, then quivered. "Still, a camping trip. That's like _…_ Maximum level normie stuff _…_ "

_Fox: Is that not because your physician said you needed a break from training._

_Skull: That ain’t the important part!_

_Noir: True, I could see Ryuji sprinting all the way there if he had to._

_Panther: He probably started running as soon as he heard from Mona._

_Skull: How'd you know!?  
Skull: I mean, I'm not that stupid.  
Skull: I just couldn't sit still so I ran laps._

_Has Mona given an update on Naoki-senpai’s situation? :Violet_

_Queen: Nothing major. Just that he’s in a stable condition and safe.  
_ _Queen: He wouldn’t answer our questions about Naoki’s living situation though…_

_Noir: It’s fairly concerning, given how awful the rumors at Shujin were._

_Fox: To think that he would tolerate something like that without telling us._

_Not to be rude, but something’s been on my mind. :Violet_

_Skull: What’s up?_

_Did anyone ever actually… Talk to Naoki-senpai? About his home. :Violet_

_Fox: He informed us of how he was put on probation and sent out here.  
Fox: He kept details about his parents rather close to his chest however._

_Noir: Thinking back on it, he never really said much about himself outside of the details on his probation._

_Skull: Dammit! Now I feel like an idiot for not even thinking about that._

_Oracle: That’s what made you realize it?_

_I think he didn’t want to worry any of us. :Violet_  
 _Probably. :Violet  
_ _Or maybe he was worried what we'd think. :Violet_

I let out another sigh and put my phone back into my bag. I stood up from my seat, turning towards Futaba who was still staring down at her phone’s glowing screen.

“I should head home before it gets too much later, can you thank the chief for the coffee? And the information on Naoki,” I asked.

“Of course! If anything else turns up about him I’ll be sure to let you know. Although I'm guessing you’re going to be more active in the chat with this development,” Futaba said. “A-and… Good luck with the competition! We’re all rooting for you. I’m sure Naoki is too.”

I gave her my thanks and left, thinking back on the words that senpai told me. That we were a team, and that he would always be looking over me no matter what. I couldn’t let myself falter just because something had happened to him. The anxiety and worry in my chest hadn’t left at all, but I would be letting both Naoki and Kasumi down if I let this affect my performance. I still had to prove how far I had come and how much farther I would go. It hurt, but I had to do my best to set aside the matter of senpai’s condition until after the competition for the sake of our dream; once I had shown off my performance and the competition was over, I’d be able to face coach Hiraguchi directly and tell her what I needed to do.

—

7/24 | Monday | Sunny

“...And in second place, with her stunning grace and brilliant routine, Yoshizawa Sumire!” The announcer called out.

I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel overwhelmed. My mind was a torrent of emotion. Happiness, disappointment, surprise, concern, frustration, sadness, relief, anxiety, and exhaustion all swirled about leaving me feeling dazed and worn down. I barely even remembered what it actually felt like standing up on the winner’s podium. All I could think about was my sister, and senpai. It wasn’t first place; I was torn up about that, I think, but more importantly my mind had kept drifting back to Naoki's condition. And yet even in spite of that I managed a second place finish on the national stage. I knew it wasn’t enough, I couldn’t be happy with this placement when I _knew_ I could do better. Perhaps it really was as simple as the fact that Naoki-senpai wasn’t here to watch me… But I couldn’t blame this on him. It was my fault for not being able to set aside my thoughts about what happened to him. 

After the brief interviews with the three of us on the podium, we were allowed backstage where my coach was waiting. I already knew she’d be disappointed, but hopefully not excessively so.

“Your routine was good, Sumire. But I could tell you were distracted while performing,” She said.

I lowered my gaze. “I’m sorry. I know my movements could have been tighter.”

“That’s one issue, true. More importantly, your mind was wandering while you were out there wasn't it,” She chastised me. “If you let everything distract you and get under your skin, you won’t be able to focus on the goal in front of you.”

She wasn’t wrong about that, even if it stung to hear.

“I take it his situation’s taken a turn for the worse?” She asked. “Some kids who said they were friends of yours wanted to see you as soon as the competition was over.”

“Eh? Really?” I was shocked.

I thought I had asked them to leave it to me… Did they really not trust me at all to be able to handle it on my own? Unless… Senpai had somehow made a miraculous recovery and was here to see me after all. But that probably wasn’t the case, it was too much wishful thinking on my part. And I would have felt ashamed about my performance if he had been there to see it in truth. It’d have been proof that my resolve wavered…

“They also asked me for a favor,” Hiraguchi added.

“I feel I know what they asked about. I would make sure to keep up my training even while traveling with them. But that’s probably a given,” I said.

“He’ll be just fine in your friends’ hands I'm sure. Right now is an especially important time to continue your training,” She continued. "We have quite a bit to drill and go over after seeing that performance. Not to diminish your accomplishment, it's best to do this while it's still fresh."

I felt my heart sink. “That’s true… But I wouldn’t have even gotten here if Naoki-senpai hadn’t helped me. I at least want to go see him, if only for a short time.”

My coach remained silent, I couldn't meet her gaze but I felt the weight of her stare.

“I… Promised to lend him my strength. No, more than that, I gave my heart. And he offered the same. And now he’s in a situation where we're probably the only ones who care enough to go help." I maintained my composure, finally bringing my eyes up to meet my coach's. "If I didn’t go now, then what was the point in making our promises to each other!?”

After a long moment, as I felt my cheeks begin to flush and my composure waver, coach Hiraguchi acquiesced. “I’m assuming you won’t have the necessary equipment to practice in full, so make sure you don’t injure yourself. But don’t compromise your training no matter what, I expect you to be in top… No, in better form than right now.”

“Coach…” I couldn’t hide the surprise on my face, nor did I try to. “Understood! I won’t let you down!”

“That’s a nice smile you’re wearing, Sumire. Your friends are waiting out in the lobby for you,” Hiraguchi folded her arms and sighed. “The passion of youth… I still have my own weaknesses to work on, I suppose.”

After our exchange, I hurriedly changed and rushed out the back. I drew a fair bit of attention from the slowly dispersing crowd, but that was only to be expected given where I was standing twenty minutes earlier. Fortunately it didn't make it too hard to notice the group of teenagers loitering about on their phone. Ryuji was the first to look up as I approached, wearing one of his usual loud graphic tees.

“Hey Sumire! Over here!” The blonde teenager shouted.

Blonde wasn’t his natural color obviously, and as I approached I could see that he had been neglecting to re-dye it: roots of his natural black hair peeked out in a couple of spots. Standing next to Ryuji was Futaba, who paused her harassment of the tall and lanky Yusuke to look at me. The others were absent, but that was expected considering what Makoto had said about her schedule; I assumed that she'd be here later in the day. Ann would still be in America, and obviously there wasn’t much she could do about that at the moment. She must have been going through the same frustration I felt when I had thought Hiraguchi would deny my trip, if not even worse. She was stuck a whole country away, unable to help. _I should send her a private apology at some point._

“Ryuji, mind your manners,” Futaba chided as I arrived.

“Hello everyone, did you see my performance?” I asked.

Yusuke turned his gaze away from the people milling about. “It was a remarkable display. I felt inspiration strike midway through.”

“He tried to leave in the middle to grab a sketchbook,” Futaba added.

“Ahh, I see,” I answered wryly.

“So? What’d she say!?” Ryuji looked at me with a mixture of apprehension and excitement.

I responded with an eager smile of my own. “There are conditions, but she said yes.”

“For real!? Aw _hell_ yeah!” Ryuji cheered.

“Ryuji! Not so loud,” Futaba winced, seeming more personally startled by the sudden outburst than caring what the people who turned to stare at us thought.

“Ah right. My bad, my bad," He apologized unapologetically. "Anyway come on let’s go, Makoto and Haru are already at LeBlanc trying to convince Sojiro to lend us his camping van.”

I momentarily blanked. “Makoto-senpai and… Are they already in Shibuya? N-no wait, more importantly I still have to talk to my parents about this! I… Haven’t told them anything yet. They’re probably somewhere around here. … W-wait, did you say camping van!? How did… S-someone fill me in, please.”

"I asked Sojiro about us going on a camping trip last night, and he brought it up himself. I told him Haru and Makoto would probably put the _remaining_ boys in a coma if they tried anything funny," Futaba said. "He still wanted to talk to them about it though."

“If your coach has already approved of it, it should be a simple affair to inform your parents, no?” Yusuke asked.

“Er… I'd still have to pack up for the trip as well,” I said.

“Hm? Ah yes, it would make sense to fetch your other change of clothes first,” He replied.

“Uh, dude, most people have more than two outfits,” Ryuji sighed.

“At any rate, we should reconvene with the others and let them know we’ll meet back up with Sumire later,” Yusuke coolly replied.

“Yeah… Let us know when you’re good to go, Sumire. For now let’s make like springs boys,” Futaba said, patting the other two on the back.

After the four of us separated, I pulled my phone out to message father and inform him that I was by the entrance. It didn’t take long for him to show up with mother alongside him. After receiving celebratory hugs and congratulations from them, I lowered my gaze and cleared my throat,

“Father, mother… I have a request,” I mumbled.

“Hmm? Ah you’re probably starving aren’t you? I'll pay for any place you want to go to for lunch,” My father, Yoshizawa Shinichi, smiled and adjusted his red glasses.

“Actually… My friends are going on a trip to see Naoki for summer vacation,” It wasn’t a lie, not exactly, but I still felt a little bad for keeping the truth of it from them. “I already asked for permission from coach Hiraguchi and she allowed it, but…”

My mother and father exchanged a look, before turning back to smile at me. I recognized the expressions on their faces, it was concern and apprehension painted as acceptance.

After a moment my father responded. “We’ll need more details than that… Do you know where his hometown is? Or how long you’ll be gone for. Also who all is going? We don’t have an issue with you wanting to go on a trip, but we want to make sure you’ll be safe.”

That was… Reasonable. But I didn’t actually _know_ where Naoki-senpai lived. I knew it was somewhere south of here, but it couldn't be anywhere past Kyoto. Probably not even as far as Shiga. Senpai didn’t have any notable dialect. Though… _He’d probably sound pretty cute if he did_. 

“A-ah, er. Well I’m not actually… Sure what his address is, I know it’s outside the city but it can’t be as far as…” I paused, thinking.

Senpai had told me that it would only be a couple of hours at most before he could be in town when we were planning on meeting up originally. Which meant that the furthest he could be would’ve been Aichi. Probably closer, if I assume that he was including travel time to the actual station.

“Shizuoka, I think. Definitely not Kyoto, and I doubt we’d even head as far out as Nagoya… And I’d keep you updated on the situation just in case!” I added hastily.

There was another long pause as my father thought it through, ignoring a look from my mother. But eventually he sighed.

“I’m assuming there will at least be an adult to look after you on your trip?” He asked.

“Both Makoto and Haru are going,” I replied. "And we'll have arrangements to make sure the boys sleep separately."

Technically, neither of them were legal adults and I had no idea what the arrangement for our trip would even be. But they were both extremely responsible and mature. All of the thieves were, it felt like. I envied them a little, that calm confidence that they seemed to carry about with them everywhere they went. It felt pretty childish to admit something like that though, even privately.

“...As long as you check in daily then. Just to ease my own worry,” My father chuckled.

I gave him a wide smile before contacting the group to inform them I'd be able to go with them. The first hurdle had been cleared.

I just had to hold onto the hope that we’d be able to do something to help Naoki when we arrived.


	3. Hope

_"A pawn has meaning only if it moves... It won't be much, but I'll lend you my strength."  
_ -The Count

7/25 | Tuesday | Rain

The camper that Sojiro lent us for our trip was larger than I initially had expected. If we needed to spend an evening out of town, there was plenty of room on the roof for a tent to separate the boys from us. I hesitated to call our trip a vacation though, if only because that had the implication that we'd be taking our time; what weighed on us was anything but. The worry that loomed in everyone's expression was plainly obvious, and made me feel extra foolish for my outburst the other day. Even if they had forgiven me, I didn't feel like I had earned forgiveness yet. _Don’t let yourself get wrapped up in negative thinking now, Sumire._ I forced myself to gaze out the window of the van at the stormy ocean instead.

Even though Sojiro understood the urgency of the situation, he still made us wait a day before we could head out; Makoto explained that he needed to make sure the camping van was in good enough condition to not break down on us while we were on the road. It had been a while since it saw any use apparently. A day later and with everyone a bundle of charged nerves, we were roughly half an hour away from senpai’s home. We had already entered Shizuoka, and I was surprised at his home's proximity to Tokyo. Even though I knew he couldn’t have lived more than a couple hours away at most, it still felt like an insurmountable barrier of distance until we actually made the trip for ourselves.

“Aren't road trips supposed to be fun," Ryuji sighed wearily. "Hey can’t we play some cards or somethin’?”

“Don’t worry, we’re almost there. Though a game of cards does sound fun,” Haru peered back from the front passenger seat.

Futaba was currently engrossed with something on her laptop, stretched out across a small compartment above the seats and wearing a large coat over her usual shorts and graphic tee. It probably wasn’t legal for her to be up there while the vehicle was in motion, and it definitely wasn't safe, but at least she had taken some of the restraints for fastening luggage to keep herself at least slightly secured.

Yusuke was staring out the window as well. “This somber sky and tumultuous sea. A storm rages in my heart as well! ...Are you certain we cannot pull over?”

He was wearing an austere purple shirt and black slacks, as was apparently his only set of clothes aside from a similarly simple formal white shirt that _still wasn’t actually his school uniform._ I wondered if his school was less strict about uniforms, but then again they might have tried to enforce their dress code only to have to deal with... Everything about him. The others were in their usual clothes as well: Ryuji sported a loudly colored graphic tee, Haru in a pleasantly light-colored summer dress, and Makoto standing out in a pair of black leather pants with a matching jacket on. She also had a pair of black riding gloves on as she steered the van.

“We can’t afford to waste time on random stops, Yusuke. It’s been three days since he fell unconscious, and considering what Mona told us he would still be at home without any kind of medical supervision,” Makoto curtly replied.

Between what I had heard from the chief and what everyone had relayed to me from Morgana, it made sense that he’d still be undisturbed in bed. His parents were gone on vacation, and his reputation was apparently bad enough that he'd more likely get thrown into a mental institute or prison hospital. We were all worried, and hoping that we wouldn't be too late. People couldn't survive in a coma without professional supervision. My worry must have spread to my face, because Haru glanced from Ryuji to me and offered a gentle look.

“I’m sure he will be okay. We’ll make sure of that. And Mona-chan’s been keeping us updated on how he’s doing so we know he’s not currently in danger,” She calmly said.

“At the very least we can make sure he is admitted to a proper hospital,” Yusuke added.

“Are we even sure it’s somethin’ like that? I mean all that freaky shit happened before. Maybe he fell into the Metaverse again?” Ryuji suggested.

The car was silent for a long moment.

“It really just ain’t the same without Ann ‘n Mona around,” Ryuji said.

“Do you... Say the things you do on purpose? Surely there are better ways to draw attention to yourself,” Yusuke frowned.

“You're team MVP in that regard, Inari,” Futaba didn’t even break eye contact with her screen.

“I didn’t even say anything dumb though! Besides Naonao acted like a clown all the ti...” Ryuji trailed off, sighing at his own use of the endearing nickname.

"If he had 'fallen into' the Metaverse as you say, wouldn't he be missing from his bed?" Yusuke replied.

“But isn't the Metaverse is gone now?” I spoke up. “Did anything like this happen when it was around?”

“Technically it’ll be around as long as people are. Just our methods to perceive and interact with it as a separate unique world are gone. Which is probably a good thing. But it’s not as if people suddenly stopped perceiving things,” Futaba explained.

“Wait, for real!?” Ryuji twisted his head around to look up at her.

“You mean you asked without even understanding that much? As expected of our Ryuji,” Futaba sighed.

Ryuji opened his mouth to speak, then closed and opened it again after thinking for just slightly too long.

“But uh, doesn’t that mean that somethin’ could’ve stuck with our leader? Like some meta-ghost or something.”

The van lurched ever so slightly before steadying back out. 

“There's absolutely no such thing! Please don't talk about gh... That stuff. I need to concentrate on the road,” Our driver chimed in.

“The closest thing would be a cognitive memory, and I doubt those could possess someone, so it's _probably_ not something like that. Besides, we wouldn’t have any actual way to check ourselves. Remember, no metanav,” Futaba said.

“Maybe Maruki would be able to? ...Assumin’ it’s somethin' to do with that psience business,” Ryuji asked.

Everyone in the van, except for Makoto who was still focused on the road, stared at Ryuji.

“What? It’s not like he’d do anything to Naoki,” He defensively said.

“I’m astounded that you came up with such a sensible idea,” Yusuke stated.

"Ugh come on, I already said I wasn't being dumb," The blonde sighed.

“Unfortunately, none of us are particularly sure where he is at the moment. It's as if he vanished off the surface of the planet after giving Naoki a ride to the station,” Haru frowned.

“Plus, we have no actual basis for it being something supernatural in origin. Ghosts aren't real after all," Makoto said as though convincing herself. "We should meet up with Morgana and check on Naoki before jumping to conclusions. We’ll be at the address soon."

"Weren't you the one trying not to bring it back to ghosts," Futaba retorted.

The conversation died down after that, and I found my gaze wandering back to the window. The rain had let up for the moment, but the skies were still looming and threatening another downpour. We had pulled off the toll road and onto a suburban street; rice fields stretched outward across the landscape and buildings were bundled together in clusters, with none of them climbing higher than three stories at most. Even then, most were only a single floor. It was novel to see houses with actual room between them, rather than being packed together and stacked upward. Some of the homes were very clearly much nicer and better maintained than others. In particular, the one exceptional classic styled home we stopped across the street from. While it wasn’t any taller than the ones on either side of it, it was a fair bit wider, and had an obvious aura to it with its slanted tile roof.

The people going about their day hadn't paid us much attention at first when we parked. When we stepped out of the van there were a few giving us curious looks though, and as we approached the home whispers started going around. There was an imposing iron gate in front of the house with an intercom fit into the wall beside it. Inside the courtyard there were unlit lanterns and what appears to be an ongoing battle between nature and a gardener, though I couldn't see much from our vantage point.

“This is supposed to be worse than an attic...?” Ryuji asked in muted awe.

“We should hurry inside,” Makoto mumbled as she gestured with her shoulders towards the townsfolk walking by.

Haru pressed the intercom button, but there wasn’t any response.

“What business do you kids have with the Furusawa family?” A middle aged woman approached us, scowling at Ryuji and Futaba in particular. “They’re not home currently, and they’ve no need to deal with more _trouble._ ”

_Furusawa? Was this the wrong house?_ I stared at the house's plaque and sure enough, it wasn't Takenaka but Furusawa that had been carved into the wood. The plaque looked a bit weathered too, so it was hardly _new._ I looked at the group, but everyone else seemed as though they knew exactly what was going on so I opted not to voice my confusion. Instead Makoto stepped forward and let out a short sigh under her breath, wearing a disarming smile on her face.

“We’re close friends of their son. He stayed behind so we could meet up and go camping for summer vacation,” She explained casually. "We're here to pick him up."

However, the woman only scowled deeper. “You should be wary of associating with that child. I'm not sure where you’re from, but no part of _that_ family is good news. ...Should just sell the house and leave,” She mumbled to herself and walked off, shaking her head.

“Furusawa...?” I asked once the woman was out of earshot.

“When Naoki’s father remarried, he took his old family name back apparently,” Futaba explained. “If I didn’t have his phone’s GPS hacked, it probably would’ve made finding him near impossible since he never actually bothered to mention that. Plus the whole ‘every trace of the family being scrubbed off the internet’ thing.”

I nodded in acknowledgement and bit the corner of my lip, lowering my gaze to my red shoes. _He didn't even mention it, huh..._ I let out a sigh, and we waited for a few more minutes. Ryuji started to get antsy and paced about, and Haru turned to the group after pushing the button again.

“Has Mona-chan said anything in the group chat? He might not be able to come outside. Or maybe-"

She was cut off by the sound of the house's sliding door slowly opening. Our collective gaze immediately shifted downward when we saw nobody at the door, and found a blue-eyed and black-furred cat sauntering up to the gate.

“Took you long enough Morgana!” Ryuji immediately complained.

“Hmph, I had to make sure it was you guys at the door and not someone else. And that’s harder to do than it sounds,” responded the cat.

He leapt up with a surprising amount of dexterity, wrapping his paws around the iron bars and undoing the lock with his mouth. It would have been more of a shock to see if I hadn't already seen him throw darts better than half the thieves in his cat form.

The instant the gate swung open I felt a lurch in my stomach and I rushed forward up the porch and into the house without thinking. The panic and worry I had been forcing to the side felt like it was bubbling back out as soon as the last hurdle between Naoki-senpai and myself had been removed. I didn’t actually know _where_ his room in the home was, and I didn’t pay any attention to the furnishings or everyone’s cries of surprise as I stumbled out of my shoes and looked around on the first floor. The hallway cut straight through the middle towards an open kitchen in the back, and down the right towards a gloomy hallway. Both sides had rice paper doors lining their length. A set of stairs immediately to my right lead up to the second floor with an open walkway I could see the railing of above.

Instinct took me up the flight of stairs and down the hall, though I froze when I saw several identical western style doors lining the inside wall of the hallway. There weren’t any obvious markings of which room belonged to senpai, except... I noticed one of them had been left ajar. My heart thumped loudly in my ears as I rushed into senpai’s room, the voices of everyone else filtered out like white noise as I dizzily stared around the room and fixated on the sleeping figure of the boy I loved; he was asleep beneath the bed sheets, his forehead slightly sticky with sweat. His expression didn’t appear pained, I noted with brief relief, and I found myself on my knees beside him in an instant. I felt bizarrely numb as I reached a trembling hand that didn't feel like my own to his cheek. His complexion had always been pale no matter how much sun he seemed to get and it was rather dark in his room, so I couldn’t tell what kind of condition he was in.

Just as the feeling in my chest felt like it was going to burst out, the room was filled with light and I winced in surprise.

“Sumire! Calm... Down.” A familiar but distant voice from behind drew my attention.

I turned around and noticed they had gone blurry too, though perhaps it was just the dim light shining in from the hall framing them. I couldn’t tell what facial expressions they were making. They were tall enough that it couldn't be Futaba, but their hair was too bushy for Makoto. It was Haru then. She slowly stepped into the room, but it felt like she had stopped looking at me and was looking at Naoki instead. She slowly paced towards the bed, removing a cloth and wiped his forehead. Everyone else filed in after that, leaving the room feeling a bit cramped. 

“This is probably the most people he's had in his room at once," A voice like Futaba's mumbled. "Stupid Naoki, you should be thankful for all these pretty girls worrying over you."

"He looks serene. I'm relieved that he doesn't appear to be in pain," Yusuke let out a held breath.

While everyone shuffled about behind me, I felt something nudge into my shoulder; I turned my gaze to look at it, and saw Ryuji was holding a box of tissues to me. He looked like he wanted to say something, but held his silence and turned away after a moment. Futaba cut in and snatched the box, blowing her own nose before handing it around.

“Sorry,” She mumbled. “Just hard to believe... Can’t imagine how you feel right now Sumire...”

“Eh? I’m,” My voice cracked, “Fine... He’s alive at least so... S-so we can fix this. We have to be strong for Naoki-senpai, right?”

Everyone was silent. Ryuji grumbled and snatched the box of tissues back from Futaba, wiggling it at me with a blurred frown.

“You uh,” He awkwardly paused, "wear contacts yeah? Probably not a good idea to let them get washed out or somethin'."

“Ryuji, that's not how it works,” Makoto followed up tiredly.

"What else 'm I supposed to say to her then!?" He groused.

I realized after a beat that I had started crying, and hastily took a tissue to clean my face. I took a deep breath afterwards and gave him an appreciative nod.

“As much of a numbskull as ever, huh?” Morgana hopped onto the desk chair, swiveling it around towards us with his momentum. “He still has a steady pulse, and his condition hasn’t changed at all since he fell asleep. I'm a phantom thief, not a doctor, so unfortunately I have no idea what's actually wrong with him.”

Ryuji looked like he wanted to snap back at Morgana for the slight, but Makoto held a hand up to silence him.

“We sort of saw a glimpse of what you were talking about before, outside the house. I wanted to ask for further details about his family situation. It’s particularly strange that his father would change his surname twice,” She said.

“Naoki didn’t say much about that to me either, when I asked. He just said Shouichi changed his name back after remarrying to his current wife. Takenaka was Naoki’s mother’s family name, apparently,” Morgana sighed. "Everyone in town treats that name like a cursed word. Poor Naoki here gets treated like an omen of misfortune just for existing somewhere."

"That's horrible," Haru muttered.

Morgana nodded, grief apparent in his eyes. It was a strange thing, to see a cat that could express emotion on its face. I never got used to seeing Morgana make a face and realizing that I knew what he was feeling. Maybe it was the same kind of altered cognition that allowed us to understand what he was saying.

“It wouldn’t be that odd if his original parents had a divorce, no?” Yusuke asked. "Though that doesn't explain ill omen aspect."

“Naoki’s never really spoken of his mother. He didn’t even really interact with his parents when he moved back here, other than formal pleasantries,” Morgana grimaced. “It’s like the Furusawas were business acquaintances of his rather than his parents. I guess at least he uses his dad's given name, but I've never heard him say anything other than 'Shouichi' to address him.”

“His parents didn’t divorce,” I cleared my throat. “I... Heard from the chief, apparently Naoki’s mother passed away when he was little.”

The group turned as one to look at me in surprise, as I sat up on the edge of Naoki's bed.

“Wait, for real!?” Ryuji stared at senpai’s sleeping face. 

“It must have left a deep scar in him, if he never considered bringing it up,” Yusuke said.

“He never really seemed to be the kind of person who was bothered by much. The only thing that comes to mind is when Akechi...” Haru left the rest unsaid, a difficult expression on her face.

"Well, we never really pushed him on it. It's probably just something he settled in the past and didn't feel the need to bring up, right?" Futaba suggested.

“What if," I started, hesitating briefly, "that curse is real?"

“What's this curse about anyway,” Makoto glanced between me and Morgana, mastering the anxiety in her tone.

"Maybe not literally, but... If something happened to his mother, it might explain why he never brought anything up. He didn't want to spread that bad luck," I suggested with a frown. “Sakura-san told me that there was a superstition about the Takenaka family. That they had some kind of curse on them. He also told me that senpai’s dad was terrified that Naoki-senpai would go after him next, when he was charged with assault,” I explained.

“That would make sense, Furusawa-san doesn't seem all that close with Naoki. And his wife seems like she's content to leave Naoki alone, rather than engage with him at all," Morgana sighed.

“Grrr this pisses me off!” Ryuji slammed his hand on the desk. "That they'd just send him away as soon as they get an excuse cause of some curse bullshit!"

“For now, we should contact a doctor and get him actually looked. It’s good that he’s safe, but there’s nothing we can do on our own about this,” Makoto said.

“But didn’t Mona-chan say that was a bad idea?” Haru asked.

“If it were just an unconscious Naoki and me meowing at them, maybe. But I have a little more faith that you all would be able to make sure they don't just ignore him,” Morgana glanced towards Naoki on the bed. “...If only I could do more myself.”

“That feels like a common sentiment among us all. Shall we retire to the kitchen?” Yusuke asked.

“Dude if you were hungry you could’ve said somethin’ on the way here,” Ryuji sighed.

“I did not wish to distract us from our destination.” The blue haired youth calmly stated.

“But you wanted to stop to paint!?” The blonde argued back. "Also we have snacks in the van!"

The two of them would probably have gone on, if not for Haru cutting them off.

“Yusuke raises a good point. We should let Naoki rest in peace and quiet. I’m sure there’s plenty of room downstairs for us to discuss our next move,” She offered.

The group agreed and slowly began to leave the room. Haru put a hand to Futaba’s shoulder, who had been in a funk of her own as she silently stared at Naoki-senpai. I felt guilt well up in my chest; both for the fact that she seemed just as crushed with grief as I was when I acted like I was the only one the other day, and the fact that I felt frustrated that she cared as much for him as I did. _I really am a horrible person, aren’t I?_ _I got upset at everyone for seeming indifferent, and again when they all show they care just as much. Am I really so stupidly desperate to feel unique? To want senpai only for myself_... I felt tears of frustration and grief well up again, and I forced myself to look at senpai's sleeping face. It didn't do anything to calm me down, if anything I felt worse, but I couldn't bring myself to look at everyone else as they left.

“Sumire?” Haru’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

“A-ah, um. Can I have a minute? I... Want to be alone with him for a moment,” I mumbled.

She hesitated briefly, but gently relented. “Okay. We’ll be downstairs when you’re ready.”

Haru was kind enough to close the door behind me on her way out. The click of the door felt like the trigger on my emotions as I burst into quiet sobbing. I clasped my hands around one of his as I slipped off the bed and sank to my knees. I pressed his hand to my forehead, clutching it for dear life as I pleaded and begged like a selfish child.

“I’m sorry. I’m s-sorry. Naoki... I’m sorry for b-being so weak,” I cried. “I-I just... Without you around... Please, just come back to me. If... If it’s something I did or if there’s something I can do. I’ll...”

I closed my eyes as I quivered, venting my weakness and self-loathing to the person I loved, to the person who had saved me before. I felt disgusted with myself. I couldn't keep relying on him to save me, I had learned to stand on my own. And I promised I'd one day take care of him too. I had to make good on that promise. But I couldn't do it. But did it matter? I simply _had to,_ regardless if I felt I could or not. Leaving senpai in this state wasn't an option. _Don't be weak, Sumire._ I couldn't master myself in the middle of my anxiety and fear, but I mustered enough courage to plead.

“I’ll do anything! Please, I want to save him!” I half-shouted, half-croaked.

I waited, as though a part of me expected that to actually work. _How stupid, of course it’s not that simple, Sumire. He’s not going to wake up just because you want him too. This isn't some fairy tale story._ I let out a sigh, feeling at least slightly calmer after my shameful outburst of emotion, and stood back up. Naoki-senpai was still asleep, his chest slowly rising and falling. I set his hand back down and turned around to leave.

However, when I opened the door everything was pitch black. Not that the hall had gone dark or the windows were drawn closed, but there was... Nothing. I spun around in panic to look at Naoki, but senpai and his room had both vanished as well. I attempted to close and open my eyes, but nothing changed; I couldn’t even differentiate between my eyes being open or closed. It was suffocating in a way I couldn't quite grasp. Fear gripped my heart as panic took over me. _Didn’t I ask for a chance, though? If this is a test, I won’t back down. I’ll save Naoki from whatever’s taken him from me._ I forced myself to calm down as I challenged oblivion, and in response I saw a flicker of gold. I didn’t feel anything beneath my feet, but I forced myself to move towards it. It grew closer, a glittering golden butterfly that danced in the void. Against the nothingness it cast the outline of a shadow, an afterimage that seemed a half-step behind with every motion. It was a beautiful dance, and yet paradoxically it felt both unnerving and calming at the same time. As I grew closer I reached out to the butterfly, and-

_You have found your path.  
_ _Do not forget, do not falter.  
_ _Bring your Hope to life, Sumire._

I blinked from the sudden rush of light and color. It wasn’t that I was somewhere particularly bright, but that I had strained my eyes against the nothingness to the point that any visual information felt overwhelming. I was standing in a misty and chilly room, spacious and circular and dyed a deep shade of blue. Below me was a plush carpet emblazoned with a golden V, and lining the walls I realized were iron bars. Jail cells. Above each was a number from zero to twenty, and every cell was open save for the one marked with a 0. Nobody else was here, and the silence pressed unpleasantly against my ears. I took a step toward the cell and stumbled as my outfit ignited and shifted to the leotard and coat I wore in the Metaverse, my balance slightly askew from suddenly being in heels again; at the same instant my clothes changed, all the cell doors slammed shut.

“Am I in a Palace somehow? But that means... My phone!?” I scrambled for my phone, but I didn't have it on me.

Nor were any of my weapons; but that made sense, senpai was the one who managed our ‘armory’ as he had jokingly called it.

“This is an unprecedented turn of events,” A calm voice spoke behind me.

I spun around and raised my hands defensively in front of me, ready to kickbox. Before where there had been nothing but the lavish rug, there now stood a small child with an outfit that matched the decor of the chamber and a book nearly as big as her torso. Her glittering golden eyes met mine, and I realized I recognized her from... Somewhere. I couldn't place _where_ , but I know I had seen her before.

“Was that voice before was you?” I asked.

She shook her head. “I do not know whom you speak of. This place should not exist, and yet it does. You should not be standing here, and yet you do. I fear that means something has gone wrong.”

“I swore to save Naoki-senpai and suddenly ended up in this room. Is this...” I struggled to voice my fears, “...A Palace?”

“This is, or was, the Velvet Room. The realm between mind and matter, neither dream nor reality. This is not your heart, however, but the Trickster's. The one you refer to as your senpai,” She explained.

Her voice was as gentle as silk, but something about it felt sharp. There was an unspoken threat to her tone that had the hairs on the back of my neck rise.

“This is what the inside of senpai’s heart is like...?” I cautiously glanced around, keeping her in my field of vision. “But you said it's not the Velvet Room anymore?”

“It is both akin to and separate from a Palace as you understand it. However,” Her brow creased in sorrow, and for just a moment I felt compelled to hug her. “His contract with the Velvet Room has come to an end. And yet this location and myself persist, most likely this is a distortion of the heart.”

“So then, this really is a Palace. Naoki’s Palace,” I muttered quietly.

“It sounds as if you have entered into a contract of your own,” She continued impassively.

“Is that important?” I asked. “If senpai has a Palace, we have to help him! You're worried about him too, right? I’ll do whatever I need to in order to heal his heart. Which means... Let’s see, finding and stealing a treasure. I think.”

She smiled distantly. “I cannot help you, as I am not your guide. I exist as... A shade, would perhaps be the best way to describe it. A memory of the one called Lavenza.”

“I... Oh I see! If this is a Palace, it means you would be a part of it as well. Wait, that means I shouldn’t trust you, right!?” I raised my arms defensively again.

“I am as the Trickster remembers me. I do not intend to inflict any harm upon you as we are right now,” She closed her eyes. “My role was as his guide and overseer, to nurture his growth.”

“I see. How do I leave this place? I’m not sure how I got here without my phone, and it’d be best if I spoke about this with the rest of the group,” I asked.

She gracefully raised her free arm, pointing towards one of the cells. “Your bond with the Trickster brought you to this location, it is through that bond that you may take your leave of this place. It would be wise to prepare yourself before venturing forth into this prison."

I followed the direction she was pointing with my eyes, toward one jail cell that was unlike any of the others. It bore no number and a warm colorless glow emanated from the back of it, and more importantly: it wasn’t locked like the other cells were. I’m not sure how I hadn’t noticed it before, but it stood out starkly in contrast to the rest.

"Return at your own peril once you have gathered your resolve..." She warned, and then added in a troubled tone, "Please, save him.”

I turned back to thank the girl. “Thank you, I promise that we’ll-” 

But she had already vanished.

—

Something warm gently shook me awake, and I immediately pulled my head up to take in my surroundings. I was still in Naoki-senpai’s room, and I noticed I was still holding his hand. His sheets were slightly damp from my tears. Above me, looking down in concern, was Haru.

“Are you okay Sumire? I heard you shout just as I was heading down the stairs,” She hesitantly said. "I wasn't sure if you needed space or not, but everyone was worried..."

I felt slightly drowsy and disoriented like I had just woken up from a nap. I slowly gathered my thoughts, and the memory of what just happened drifted hazily back into my mind. I leapt up to my feet in an instant, clutching her arms as my heart-rate spiked and she winced in surprise.

“He has a Palace Haru! We need to save him,” I said slightly too loudly.

It was not the most elegant explanation, given her bewilderment. I let go of her with an apologetic bow, turning my gaze back towards senpai.

“Sorry, I’m... I was in a blue jail, and there was a girl. And I think that’s why he’s not waking up. Maybe. I don’t have any reason to believe it, I think, but I believe it had something to do with the Metaverse. Which means we can save him! I hope,” I verbally tripped over myself trying to explain. "I had my uniform on. Oh! It was just like a Palace. It had that oppressive atmosphere to it."

“W-wait, calm down Sumire. We should at least get the others before you start explaining. ...Are you sure it wasn’t just a dream?” There was a hint of hopefulness in her tone.

“It's somewhat hazy, but I think the girl said her name was Lavenza,” I added.

Her eyes lit up in recognition, and she gently took my hand. “Let’s go back to the others. We’ll figure out what to do as a group.”

I nodded and wiped my eyes, and we left to rejoin the group downstairs. Now that I wasn't having a panic attack, I noticed the furnishings on the walls were fairly lavish. Several large painted scrolls, one of which featured a scene of samurai fighting back a demon of some sort, had been hung up along the same wall as the door to Naoki-senpai’s room, and the heavy blinds that were drawn over the windows on the opposite side were patterned with painted white bamboo shoots. I could hear the others chatting when we made it back to the bottom of the stairs, if not what they were talking about. 

As I had noticed upon entry, the layout of the house split it into three distinct sections. The second floor had a narrow hall that spanned the entire length of the house and wrapped around on the outside edge; all of the rooms were on the inside, while the outer wall had windows. Which meant that none of the rooms on the second floor had any windows. There was an open space where the balcony loomed over the entryway; and while I wasn’t sure how many rooms there were upstairs in particular, Naoki-senpai’s being a standard 9-tatami sized room led me to believe the rest were as well. The first floor was as I noted when I first entered, though on the left the door to a large classic 12-tatami living room had been left open. To the somewhat ominous feeling hall down the right were more individual rooms. Surrounding the house on the outside was the somewhat unkempt yard and classic styled veranda that circled the building. It seemed like far too large of a house for just three people and a cat to live in.

When we stepped through the open door to the living room, everyone stiffened up and looked nervously at us. They had pulled out cushions to sit on, and Yusuke had apparently managed to find a Jagariko cup to eat. Morgana sat on top of the low table, and aside from Yusuke absentmindedly devouring potato wedges there was a silent air of tension. It broke the instant Futaba spoke up.

“D-did something happen upstairs, Sumire!?” she nervously asked.

I nodded. “Naoki-senpai has a Palace.”

The room immediately exploded into cries of surprise. _Maybe I could have phrased it more gently..._

“No effin’ way!” Ryuji shouted.

“Are you certain?” Makoto asked.

Rather than say anything, Futaba's response was to immediately pull out her phone.

“It’s not there,” She said after a moment.

“Ah. If he had a Palace, then the Metaverse navigator should have returned,” Yusuke leaned over her shoulder.

"Don't get your crumbs on me, inari," She leaned away from him.

“That’s what I was thinking too...” Haru muttered worriedly, glancing over at me.

“I’m not sure how exactly it happened, but I was in this place with several jail cells and the room was entirely blue. They were all numbered and open and it was somewhat chilly. Er, but that's not the important part,” I paused to put my thoughts in order. “It was the Velvet Room apparently. Or rather it had been, but wasn't anymore. That's what the girl inside said. It's a bit hazy, but I think she called herself Lavenza.”

Morgana’s ears perked up, and he leaped up to the edge of the table to face me.

“Lady Lavenza? Are you sure you met her?” He asked.

I nodded. “She looked like the girl you all spoke to back in January. I think.”

“Did she give you any instructions on how we could save Naoki,” Yusuke set the cup down on the table.

Because it was empty, of course.

“She... Didn’t say. All she told me was that I had a contract, but she wouldn’t be able to help,” I frowned. “I'm not really sure why though, she seemed conflicted over something.”

“If she were a cognitive being it would make some sense. It’d also confirm that it was a Palace but... Without the nav we won’t be able to do anything about it either way,” Futaba said.

“In that case, we should continue our earlier discussion about checking him into a hospital,” Makoto said.

“I agree. It would be unwise to attempt anything too reckless on our own. It would be wiser to stay grounded for his safety,” Yusuke nodded.

I was about to offer my own rebuttal when I was cut off.

“But what about Naoki!?” Ryuji interjected. “I mean, if he’s asleep cause of some Metaverse bullshit, it’s not like the doctor’s gonna be able to help! This is what the Phantom Thieves are supposed to be here for!”

An uncomfortable silence filled the room.

“S-seriously you guys? Come on! Didn’t we promise we’d help him!?” He added angrily.

“Ryuji, calm down. What can we reasonably expect to be able to do in this situation?” Makoto tossed back at him.

“I don’t know! Something! Sumire, you have an idea, right!?” Ryuji looked at me pleadingly, the group following.

“I... I..." I stumbled, unsure how to feel about being put on the spot. “Maybe it’s a willpower thing? I was squeezing his hand pretty tightly, admittedly.”

“Hand-holding hmm?” Futaba smirked. "Are you sure you'd be okay with everyone doing that with Naoki? Mwehehe..."

"More to the point, he only has two hands. And this seems rather odd as a means of access," Makoto frowned.

“Ah! I got it! Maybe the app showed up on just your phone! That’s how it was at first with me and Naoki,” Ryuji exclaimed.

Anxious energy gripped me as I patted around for my phone, but I still didn't have it on me. _Did it fall out of my skirt pocket at some point? Or maybe I left it in the camper._

“I’ll have to get my phone and check. Can I borrow the key to the van?” I kept my voice steady. _Stay confident, Sumire._

Makoto looked at me sternly, before closing her eyes and offering up the keys with a sigh. “Be careful not to attract too much attention. We _are_ technically trespassing.”

I nodded and hurried out of the room, and froze the instant I did. Floating in the air, dancing about enchantingly, was a pitch black butterfly. Where the light caught it, a deep blue shimmer spread across its wings. Only when I saw the butterfly did I recall the void before the Palace, the dancing of the butterfly filling me with a feeling of transience. Like if I didn't grasp this opportunity it'd be gone forever. I reached out for the butterfly as my pulse quickened, only for it to flit between my fingers and resume its ballet just out of my reach. When I stepped closer, it teasingly moved ahead; _it's guiding me somewhere_. It lazily danced up the stairs to the second floor, though I cast a glance towards the door. Was it trying to tell me my phone was upstairs? Or was it trying to show me something else. _But it's different from the butterfly I saw before, I think._ I wasn't sure what it wanted, but I followed it regardless. Instinct told me this butterfly dream would help me free senpai.

The butterfly didn't head towards Naoki-senpai’s room however, instead it double backed in the opposite direction down the hall by playfully brushing past me. I shivered like a specter had placed a hand on my shoulder, but I forced myself to follow its course through the air; it phased right through an unmarked door, which looked frozen in time as I brushed my hand against the doorknob. What would be on the other side of this door? Fear took hold of me as I remembered the black expanse of nothingness. Closing my eyes, I swallowed a breath and twisted the knob. But the other side was just a simple bedroom. It appeared to be a young girl’s room judging by the furnishings, but one that hadn't been occupied in a very long time. There was no sign of the butterfly as I stepped inside. Did this room belong to one of his sisters? _But with all the dust in here, she must have moved out years ago. It looks like a little girl's room rather than a teenager's as well..._

My eyes wandered briefly around the room; everything had been properly organized and kept clean for a while, though the dust lightly coating the whole room proved it hadn't been graced by a human presence in years. The pitch black bed sheets were tucked in and, pieces of plastic jewelry sat atop a dark wood dresser, and an empty bookshelf sat beside a small writing desk. My eyes were naturally drawn to what was on top of it though, as it was the only sign of anything being out of order in this dust-coated room. A small picture frame had been left face down. I paced over to it as though in a trance, displacing the still air that hung heavy in the room, and lifted up an aged picture. There was a teenager I didn’t recognize with a pitch black pixie cut and wearing a leather jacket and shredded camisole. She was holding up a pair of kids in her arms, looking exhausted judging by the heavy shadows under her eyes. Both of the little kids had the same raven black hair that she did and all three had sharp looking dark grey eyes. The older of the two kids looked like the perfect example of a modern day princess, right down to the meticulously cut and maintained hairstyle. A small pout creased her face, as though she resented being held up like a display piece. It was the other child that drew a sharp gasp from me. That messy hair was unmistakable, even if he looked like he was barely old enough to attend school when this was taken. The part that struck me the hardest though, was his radiant full faced smile. Never had I seen him wear such a genuine and excited smile.

I stood there in stunned silence for what felt like an hour. The joy on his face made me want to smile, but the fact that it felt like something I would never see again made my chest tighten. _Even if we save him, he wouldn't ever look like this again, would he?_ It was just a picture, but something about it felt like it had an insurmountable weight to it. Just looking at it made me want to cry at how unfair the world was.

My thoughts were drawn back by a gentle warmth at my back. I shivered and turned around to look at the source, and saw the same butterfly as before, now golden and shining and dancing in the doorway. I didn’t realize until that moment just how _dark_ this room was, as all the furniture was dark in coloration in spite of the girly decorations organized and laid out on top of them, and I hadn’t turned the light on. Clutching the photo to my chest I rushed back out, following the golden butterfly as it led me right back into Naoki’s room. _Can’t you just make up your mind? What are you trying to tell me?_ I frowned, though the guide gently fluttered about his quiet room; eventually it settled onto a small object on the floor at the foot of his bed. When I looked I let out a small noise. My phone was resting on the floor. Had I brought it with me after all? Haru didn't mention it when she came to check on me, but then again she might have been more concerned about me than anything lingering in the room.

Instead of thinking too hard, or really at all, I practically dove onto my phone. My heart raced and my hands shook and grew clammy as I turned it over and checked through my apps. _Please, please be there. Please let me be right. I can't bear feeling useless._ My heart skipped a beat when I noticed, right on the first page, was an app I only vaguely recognized. It wasn’t white like before, nor did it have that odd logo of an eye with three pupils, but it was definitely the Metaverse navigator. Deep red and black with an ominous skull sprouting butterfly wings that looked as though it were bursting out of the icon, it couldn’t have been anything else. I trembled in excitement and made to rush back downstairs, but my legs didn’t react properly and I lamely flopped forward; my head collided with the frame of Naoki’s bed and I let out a hiss of pain. _Even in spite of everything else, you manage to be as lame as possible huh Sumire? Aren't you supposed to be a star athlete?_ I grumbled and rubbed my forehead, thankful there wasn't any blood. The wind was thoroughly knocked out of my sails, however. I pulled myself up to my feet and clutched the photo and phone as I returned downstairs.

“Was your phone upstairs after all? It sounded as though you went up there instead of out to the van,” Makoto asked upon my return.

“There was a butterf-I mean, I found my phone. It was upstairs in Naoki-senpai’s room!” I replied. “And more importantly, the nav's on it. I think. I haven’t tried using it bu-”

“For real!?” Ryuji practically knocked me over as he looked at my phone. “Aw _hell_ yes, now we can save him!”

“It seems Ryuji’s intuition was good for something after all.” Futaba nodded in satisfaction.

“Come on, why do you gotta say it like that?” Ryuji sighed.

Yusuke gave me a piercing look, making me wince from the intensity of his expression.

“We should check to make sure it functions first,” He calmly said.

I nodded and offered up my phone, but nobody moved to take it. They all stayed as they were, staring at me expectantly. After a few moments of my silent confusion, Haru spoke up.

“We always let our leader do the honors,” she said.

“It only felt right,” Makoto added. "Plus, he had the best intuition when it came to keywords."

“He was the guy who kinda started it all, after all,” Ryuji rubbed his nose with a smirk.

I blinked, and looking at the group I realized _why_ everyone was looking directly at me. My face quickly started going red as the implication set in.

“W-wait wait wait. You’re not all saying...” I took a half step back.

“There’s no denying who's the closest one to him,” Makoto closed her eyes.

“And you’re the one who’s been pushing hardest for us to step in and save him,” Futaba wagged her finger.

“B-but I’ve never... I-I mean it’s a lot of pressure!? Are you all s-sure?” I stammered.

“If not for you, we might not have realized our fault in this situation,” Yusuke explained. “We discussed it with ourselves while you were gone. Your words made us realize that none of us had ever pushed to understand his situation, as he had done for each of us.”

“And yet we offered him platitudes of support, without stepping in to help him with his private problems. If he hadn’t meddled in our affairs, none of our issues would probably have been solved. It was hypocritical to simply assume he would bring any issues forward without prodding them out of him,” Haru sternly said.

“We still need to check him into a hospital to make sure his condition is stable,” Makoto’s gaze seemed to pierce right through me. "But now we can properly take matters into our own hands."

“We’ve let him down for real this time. Maybe he really _didn’t_ trust us after what happened in January, but there’s no use stressing over what-ifs. We just gotta go do what we always do!” Ryuji punched his hands together and smirked at me. "Right, leader!?"

I sniffled, only aware just then that I had started tearing up. I had let my emotions get the better of me in front of everyone an embarrassing number of times today already.

“Th...Thanks. I’ll do my best to not let you down,” I forced out.

“Hmhm, and of course I’ll train you to be a proper leader! Joker started from square 0 as well after all. Who knows where he would have been without my incredible guidance,” Morgana puffed his chest out proudly.

“Right! Thank you everyone,” I smiled at the group.

Sitting down at the table with everyone crowded around, I tapped the app and brought up the navigation page, but there was no search history. “Eh? There’s nothing here. That’s weird. When we went to Maruki’s Palace it was entered in the nav.”

“It sounded from how you described it before that you didn't enter his Palace using any keywords. In fact, that might not even have been a proper Palace you were in. That’s a troubling mystery, but we should set it aside for the moment and focus on keywords,” Morgana sat down on the other side of the phone and glanced around at the group. 

“This feels kinda weird honestly,” Ryuji sighed.

“I know what you mean. Having to do this for Naoki... It feels wrong,” Haru added sadly.

“It’s not like it’s any different from what you all did for me though! It’s not his fault that his heart’s been messed up,” Futaba said.

“Futaba’s right. We shouldn’t get bogged down by the implications. What matters is we need to save Naoki-senpai,” I declared to the group. “I haven't actually done this myself, but if I remember right, there were three things we needed right? A name and location, and...”

“The source of the distortion, what the Palace ruler sees the location as,” Makoto said.

“The owner would obviously be Takenaka Naoki,” Yusuke spoke.

"One result found," The nav responded.

“Next is the location, right? Would it just be this house?” I checked again.

There wasn't any response from the nav.

“Huh? That’s weird,” I looked up at the group.

“It requires a more specific location than just ‘here.’ If we’re doing this right now it would be prudent to step outside of the house first. Otherwise we have no idea where we would end up within the Palace,” Makoto stood up and straightened out her blouse. “Also, may I have the keys to the van back?”  
  
“Oh! Right I’m sorry,” I said.

I absentmindedly set the photograph down to take the van keys back out.

“What’s up with this anyways?” Ryuji loomed over the photo.

“Eh? Oh, it's just a photo of Naoki-senpai when he was little. I forgot I was holding onto it,” I glanced at it again, looking at tiny Naoki’s smiling face.

The group immediately shifted from looking at the phone to the photo instead.

“Aww, is that Naoki as a baby? He looks so adorable!” The fluffy haired CEO cooed.

“But who are these other two? Mom and Sister maybe?” Futaba asked.

“Mm, she looks too young for that, maybe an adult sister?” Makoto suggested.

“To think, Naoki could make a face like this though. It feels unlike him, and yet it seems fitting as well,” Yusuke nodded satisfactorily.

“Heheh, we’re _definitely_ gonna have to tease Naonao about this when we wake him up,” Ryuji grinned.

Morgana didn’t weigh in, though I felt him weigh _on_ me as he climbed up to roost on my shoulder. I took that as a sign to lead the group back outside. Fortunately it seemed like the initial small gathering of people who were staring at us on our arrival had left, leaving us in peace as we retreated to the RV.

“Look Morgana, we don't need you to drive us around Mementos anymore!” Ryuji joked.

"If Mementos came back, we've got much bigger problems than transportation,” Futaba sighed.

Morgana sighed but let the quip go, and once everyone had settled in around the table in the camping van he cleared his throat and brought our focus back to the navigator.

"We still need the other keywords, let's focus on those first," He said.

_He should be the acting leader, not me._ I sighed to myself.

“So we have the name. Next would be... ‘The Takenaka family home,’ or possibly ‘The Furusawa family home’?” Haru suggested.

No response, and the group gathered around looking confused.

“What!? But it’s clearly gotta be his house... I mean, right?” Ryuji looked around.

“Perhaps it's just his room after all,” Yusuke tried.

Nothing.

“Maybe it’s something more mobile. He was in Shibuya with us for a whole year after all,” Makoto suggested.

Morgana sighed, hopping from my shoulder to the table.

“I didn't want to think it'd be this bad but... Shimotaruki, Kakegawa,” He solemnly suggested.

The nav reacted to the location.

“Whoa whoa whoa...” Ryuji mumbled in awe. “The whole _city_ is his Palace!? There’s no effin' way...”

“Not the city, just this district. Still, that’s a fairly sizable area. I’m worried we might have trouble actually finding the location of his treasure if we withdraw any further. What should we do, leader?” Makoto looked to me.

Everyone else followed suit, and I shrunk in on myself a little under the weight of their gaze. 

“I... Ah... Um. M-Morgana?” I turned to look at the cat.

“Hmm,” He looked deeply thoughtful.

At least, as thoughtful as a cat could ever look.

“It would be safest to retreat outside the district, but before we leave we should head back inside. Naoki still has our gear stowed away in his room,” Morgana said.

“Oh! Good call, we uh... Didn’t bring anything to use as weapons huh,” Ryuji admitted.

“Well, it’s not like we were expecting to come out of retirement,” The former student council president chuckled.

“True. I'm glad Naoki had the foresight to hold onto everything though,” Her fellow alumni added. “This is kind of exciting too. I feel guilty for it but a part of me is excited to be doing more Phantom Thieves stuff. If only it wasn’t at Naoki’s expense...”

“It seems as though the beauty thief will be making a grand return,” Yusuke added as he stood up.

"B-beauty... You remember that still!?" Haru stuttered.

"Beauty thief?" I quizzically raised an eyebrow.

"D-don't worry about it! Let's go grab our equipment shall we?" Haru quickly regained her composure and gave Yusuke a rather dangerous looking smile.

“It’d probably look pretty suspicious to see us all hauling a bunch of weapons out to an RV from the house, so let's be quick and quiet about it,” I agreed.

It wasn't much, but it helped me feel at least slightly more leader-like. _I’m not sure I can lead like you did, but I promised I’ll save you, Naoki. Wait for me._ I puffed my chest out and we marched back into the house after confirming there was nobody around; Morgana led us up to Naoki’s room and revealed a hidden drawer in his closet where all of our weapons and armor were neatly piled up. There wasn’t an awful lot of room in there, but everything was at least wrapped in towels to prevent scratching. We used my gym bag to smuggle the larger armaments out, like Haru’s rather fearsome looking axe and model grenade launcher. We were able to hide most of the other weapons and armor on ourselves, though there was a bit of awkward shuffling between the mansion and the camping car.

While Makoto drove us out of the block and towards a peaceful looking park, Morgana pulled a notebook out of my gym bag.

"Here, this might be useful for you Sumire. I gave Naoki instruction on how to operate as a good leader, and he was pretty diligent in taking notes," He offered it up to me.

I accepted it with a surprised nod, briefly flipping through the pages and looking at Naoki's handwriting. _I guess I didn't exactly hide my anxiety about having to lead the group..._

"Thanks Morgana," I replied.

When we arrived at the edge of the park there wasn’t anyone around. Which was convenient considering we looked pretty suspicious hooking our guns onto their slings and loitered around the back of the van. There probably wouldn't be any visitors with the sky so stormy, if there were ever that many people here to begin with.

“So all that’s left is the distortion. But you’ve already seen the inside of his Palace, right Sumire?” Futaba glanced at me.

“Yeah... It looked like the inside of a prison. But Lavenza called it the Velv-” I stopped as soon as I saw the nav react to the final keyword.

From my phone I heard the familiar declaration, “Beginning Navigation.”

The world around us flickered, and we entered the Metaverse once again.


	4. Wild

_"I wish I could forget these painful memories, but for some reason, they stay with me."  
_ -Forgotten Man

7/25 | Tuesday | ???

As was the standard in this alternate world, the sky was dark and starless. The scenery ahead of us was the same as it had been outside of the metaverse, but when I looked back down the road we had come from, I saw a towering concrete wall with crenelations at the top; it looked like it was at least twenty feet high, but that was only an unskilled approximation on my behalf. It looked like a castle's rampart made out of modern materials. Between the gaps I saw movement, most likely patrols, and at the two corners I could see there were large towers with searchlights scanning the perimeter. The layout immediately struck me as bizarre, like it was a prison designed to keep something _out_ rather than in.

“Perhaps we should have entered the Palace from within its premises after all,” Yusuke said.

“And get caught immediately upon entry? Yeah I think I'm gonna pass on that one,” Ryuji grimaced.

I looked down towards Mona, since I was half-expecting him to make some comment about Ryuji and I noticed that our outfits had already changed in spite of us being outside of the prison walls. Probably a good idea to swap to codenames, then. Thankfully the thieves' group chat at least kept me somewhat refreshed on everyone's designations.

“I don’t suppose you can turn into a helicopter again, can you Mona?” I asked.

“Even if I could, they’d definitely notice a helicopter flying above them...” He distantly replied.

He seemed to be distracted, or he was scrutinizing the wall in great detail. Or maybe he was just particularly focused on trying to actually turn into a helicopter... I let my own attention wander, as Makoto and Haru—Queen and Noir, rather—joined the other two in gazing at the massive Palace. The aura about the place was daunting, and wholly different from how Maruki's Palace had felt. While that one seemed filled with calm resignation and passion, this one felt like paranoia and antipathy. Oracle was currently digging through her laptop, crouched where The RV had been. I was momentarily taken back by it's absence, but only because instead of the vehicle I saw a beautiful blue door with intricate gold leafing on it and an ornate V emblazoned on the center. Just looking at it seemed to calm my heart, and it felt as though someone was calling out to me from it. 

“What is that?” I muttered.

“...What’s what?” Oracle perked her head up, looking at me and then at the door. “Is there something coming at us? I’m not picking up any readings on this side of the wall.”

“The door, right there,” I pointed right where she was looking.

“I’m not picking up any sort of entrance out here, Violet,” She sighed. “Would be a lot easier if we had a convenient tunnel to go through though. Maybe there's a secret tunnel from a prior escapee somewhere. Hmm...”

She couldn’t see it, then. It kept calling for me, though it didn't use any language. I followed the impulse and stepped forward to the door after Futaba looked back down to her laptop. There wasn’t a doorknob nor a handle but when I reached out my hand, the door swung open on its own. A gentle blue light shone through, and the world behind me melted away as my vision adjusted to the sudden change in lighting.

I found myself standing just inside a balcony that rested at the top of a stone tower, the room inside covered in luxurious dark blue stone and matching carpets with golden accents. The walls arched upwards into a dome overhead, and surrounding the room were crystalline mirrors. It was such a beautiful sight I didn’t notice anyone was there until I heard a calm elderly voice.

“My my, this is quite unexpected. Is this the second... No, it must be the third time this has happened. That’s quite an auspicious number, hmhmhm,” Sitting on a high-backed throne in the center of the room was an odd man with wild eyes and an egregiously long nose. “Welcome to the Velvet Room.”

I realized then that there was someone playing the piano and singing, and looking around I saw a blindfolded man gently playing the keys beside a breathtaking woman belting out a haunting melody. Eerily enough, it was the man who met my gaze, though I couldn't tell if he could see me through the blindfold or not.

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance once more, though this is the first time we’ve spoken directly,” A familiar voice called out.

I forced my attention away from the performers and saw the girl who had called herself Lavenza earlier. My brow furrowed in confusion.

“Weren’t you out... There? Er, in the Palace. Or, is this room...” I rubbed my head.

I wasn’t sure what to make of all this. I had been in the metaverse just a moment ago, that much was already confirmed by the whole group’s reaction, but now I was… _Let’s see. He called it the Velvet Room, but it’s clearly not the same place I was in before. That one was a part of the Palace, which means... Are there two Velvet Rooms in Naoki-senpai?_

"Not quite. This space is your own heart, dear guest," the long-nosed man chuckled.

“You heard what I was thinking!? Wait, but if this is my own then does that mean my heart is in senpai's? H-hawawa... That’s so embarrassing! But also kind of romantic... Feels like the kind of thing he'd tease me about,” I stuttered.

“The door is merely a means of joining the boundaries of waking and dreaming. This is the world between mind and matter, not the reality you are from nor the metaverse you know of,” Lavenza softly explained.

“My name is Igor, and for the duration of the contract that you have signed we shall be your guides. Just as we were for the guest who came just before you,” The long-nosed man snapped his finger.

On cue, Lavenza stepped forward and handed me a small golden key, with a swallowtail butterfly as the head. “Please accept this, so that you may find your way back here any time you need to.”

I turned it over in my hands, mystified at the proceedings. _When did I sign a contract?_

“Um... Thank you. But why exactly _would_ I need to come back?” I asked.

“You will find that on your quest, your own strength will not be enough at times. You have shown to possess the same potential that the Trickster did. The potential for leadership, and the potential to drastically alter the outcome of your story depending on what action you take,” Lavenza explained.

“This potential is known as the Wild Card. It is the power which has allowed you to forge a contract with us as per our master's request. It shall no doubt be of great benefit to you on your journey,” Igor added. 

“Wild Card...” I repeated, putting everything together slowly. “Wait, is that the same as what Naok-... Joker could do?”

_So this old man isn't the owner of this place either then... But wait, isn't this inside my heart? Wouldn't that make me the owner?_

“Indeed. The Trickster was our guest before you. He overcame astronomical odds and wrested the world back for humanity from the hands of a tyrannical entity. Truly, he was a splendid guest,” Igor smiled unnervingly, staring right through me.

_The fact he's not commenting on my thoughts is almost more concerning._

“It seems as though the malevolence that has plagued us hasn't given up yet, and now threatens both the Trickster and the world he fought so hard to rescue,” Lavenza lowered her gaze.

“What!? Is that why Naoki won’t wake up!?” I took a step forward. “I’m not sure I understand this place at all or what you two are talking about,” My gaze wandered towards the singer and pianist briefly. “But no matter what, I’m going to save him! I won’t let anything take him away from me as long as I still breathe.”

The singer briefly paused to finally measure me up, and Igor clapped enthusiastically with a wide smile on his face.

“Splendid! It's easy to see how you have come to be our guest,” He said.

“Return here should you need guidance or introspection, or if you need assistance with personas,” Lavenza stepped close to me and mumbled under her breath. “Please, save Naoki.”

Her request was so earnest I was taken aback, stepping backwards and putting a hand over my chest defensively. It was exactly the same as how she acted inside his Palace.

I nodded resolutely. “Of course. I already promised you as much.”

She gave me an unreadable smile, but didn't ask for elaboration. I could feel their gazes at my back as I turned around toward the balcony and marched back out through the doorway. I felt more nervous than before, the stakes and pressure on my shoulders had increased tenfold with the news that there was some threat to the world. But I’d keep my promise with Naoki-senpai no matter what. Bright light blinded me momentarily, and I found myself standing back in the metaverse, staring at the door I had stepped through before.

“Violet, Earth to Viole-t! Hmm, this could be bad,” Futaba’s voice dragged my attention back to meta-reality.

“Huh? What? I’m here! What’s wrong!?” I stammered and spun around.

Everyone was staring at the two of us.

“We were asking if you’d be able to manage something, but you didn’t seem to be paying attention,” Queen explained.

“What's with leaders and starin' off into space!? ...Joker did that all the time too,” Skull sighed. “Saw him in the alley one time one my way to the arcade and he was just... Starin’ at the wall. Creeped me out to be honest, but I guess he had a lot on his mind so...”

“My apologies!” I bowed. “I was busy conversing with this... Man with a long nose. Ah! And Lavenza was there too.”

“Long... Nose?” Fox stared off thoughtfully.

“Lavenza... She’s awfully mysterious isn’t she? Did she say anything important?” Har-...Noir asked.

“She mentioned something about a malevolence that's responsible for Naoki-senpai’s condition. And that they were threatening the world? I’m not sure exactly but it sounded bad,” I said.

“Dude... That’s real bad ain’t it? I mean, sounds like that God dude's back again yeah?” Skull asked.

“God... Dude?” I hesitantly asked.

“The God of Control, who Maruki supplanted,” Queen sighed.

“Ah right. That one,” I flatly replied.

It still felt surreal that they had apparently fought a god. Even though Maruki-sensei had done something similar.

“Anyway, what did you want to ask?” I continued.

"You're just gonna gloss over the whole God thing!?" Skull exclaimed.

“We were discussing how to go about getting past this first hurdle, and Mona had a suggestion. But we required your input,” Fox said.

“I snagged the grappling hook that I originally gave to Joker from his equipment stores, but there’s only one person here with the acrobatic qualifications to use it... Other than myself, of course!” The not-cat puffed his chest out proudly.

“I can’t say I’ve ever used a grappling hook before,” I shrugged.

“Just follow my lead and you’ll do fine,” Mona casually waved off my concern.

Before I could even voice a complaint, he had rushed over and hooked something around my wrist beneath the sleeve.

“From what I’ve been able to scan, there's two shadows per segment of wall. Doesn't seem like patrols ever swap out, but I guess it's not like shadows can get tired really. So you'll have to either sneak past them or take them out without the other noticing to get to one of the towers,” Oracle said.

“Why the towers?” I asked.

“They’re the only way in apparently. There's no gate to enter through, but Mona and I were able to sneak past the search lights and investigated the base of one of the towers,” Noir explained. "They have a door at the bottom for entry, but it only opens from the inside."

“There's probably going to be alarms on those if we force them open, but if you can get me in there I can bypass the security and open it up for everyone else” Oracle smirked.

“Right. So I’ll be sneaking in with Oracle and covering her as she hacks the system. Although...” I looked up at the rampart. “It's designed like an old castle. Does it really have that advanced of tech?”

“Don’t let the look deceive you, I ran a cursory look at the place and it's more wired up than a featherman fan on broadcast day. The place is some kinda max security prison. All of the stuff I saw was standalone too,” Oracle walked over to me, laptop slung under an arm.

“Standalone?” I examined the wall, trying to spot the patrols.

“Not connected to any other networks or systems. Basically I gotta get my hands on it directly if I wanna do anything. B-but I’m kinda nervous about the whole flying thing,” She stammered.

“It’ll be fine! I’ve seen Joker do it a bunch, and I have a good understanding of my own body and how to shift my balance about,” I gave her shoulder a reassuring pat.

I didn't actually feel _that_ confident, but saying that wouldn't help much.

“I-if you say so. Mm! I’m counting on you! Leader!” She looked like she was trying to fire herself up.

“Let me know when the next patrol will pass by. Also Mona, grab onto my other shoulder,” I ordered.

“Eh!? Are you sure about that, Violet?” He asked in surprise.

“It’ll be fine. I’m a bit lighter than senpai, so between Oracle and you it should still be less weight than when he and I did our combination,” I gave them a confident thumbs up. “I might be our leader right now, but I’m not senpai. If we ran into any locked doors I wouldn’t be able to open them up at all. You taught Joker-senpai how to do that, right Mona?”

“...Ah. I hadn’t even thought of that,” He said lamely.

“And Oracle can’t fight directly right? Having you as additional support if it comes to that will be a big help. I’ll be counting on you, Mona,” I continued.

“Ehehehe~ Well I can’t help it if I’m that important to the operation,” Mona blushed.

Naoki-senpai hadn't been joking when he said Mona was really weak to praise. After letting Mona calm down and climb onto my back, I wrapped an arm around our navigator and waited for her signal. As soon as she gave the go ahead I fired the grappling hook and managed to catch it in one of the crenelations. I gave it a small tug to ensure it wasn’t going to shake loose, then reeled the three of us up.

The top of the rampart was completely exposed to both the towers and the inner courtyard, and I could see in both directions there were shadows in military uniforms patrolling away. We’d have to fight at least one in order to reach the tower we were headed for; according to Futaba they patrolled back and forth constantly without pause, which meant that if we weren’t quick enough the other shadow would double back and catch us. The only question was did we want to strike now or wait until it was closer to the tower. Which one would be safer for not getting discovered? I clenched my hands, forcing myself to stay calm and think. It was a narrow platform, a fight would have to be swift and decisive since there wouldn’t be any room to evade.

“What’s the plan, Violet?” Mona hopped off of my shoulder and crouched down by the wall.

I crouched down to whisper as we followed behind the shadow. “How can you tell what kind of... Thing is inside a shadow?”

“What?” Mona looked at me in confusion.

“You know what I’m talking about, right Fut-...Oracle? The demons and stuff,” I looked at the girl crouched and staring at her laptop.

“Mm. Joker said he just had a ‘discerning eye’ for that sort of thing. No idea what he meant but it worked,” She replied.

Well, that sure sounded like one of his bizarre jokes. Either way it meant we had to deal with an unknown amount of enemies on a narrow ledge. We may have a 5 foot wall to our left, but the right side was a straight drop into the courtyard...

“...Ah! Watch my back, Mona. I’ve got a plan,” I slowly drew my straight sword out, crouching low.

Before he could respond I closed the distance between the shadow and myself, holding my sword at eye level with the flat of the blade to my cheek. I wouldn’t be letting this one split and reveal its true form or expose a bunch of demons, we didn’t have time for a protracted battle. Instead I thrust my sword just under its hip, using the momentum from my charge to wedge it between the armor padding while sweeping my leg under its feet. It was much heavier than me, but it wasn’t expecting someone to suddenly ambush it and I was able to throw it off-balance. The moment the shadow stumbled I pried my sword to force it towards the courtyard. I was worried I’d snap my sword as it was meant for quick thrusts and cuts as opposed to heft and momentum, but it held as I forced the shadow toward the edge.

“An intruder!? How dare y-”

Before it could finish I wrenched my blade out and put the momentum into a crouching pirouette, slicing at the shadow’s calves and finishing by straightening back up with a high side kick to the back of its neck. Caught off guard and off balance, the shadow tumbled over the edge and plummeted down to the ground below where it splattered into a mess of black goo and dissipated. 

“Ooh nice moves Violet!” Oracle cheered.

She winced at the volume of her voice, peering over her back towards the other patrol at the far end.

“That’s not quite what I was expecting, but good thinking Violet. I didn’t think we’d be able to get rid of it without an actual fight,” Mona remarked.

“Thanks. Let’s not waste time though, we only have a few minutes before the other shadow doubles back and notices his buddy is missing,” I replied.

“Door’s clear. Our objective should be on the ground floor,” Oracle confirmed, standing up with her laptop. “One problem though, it’s got a pretty heavy duty lock. Analogue.”

I looked at our non-cat, who nodded back up at me in response. Good thing I thought to bring him along. He scurried up to the door without further prompting, beckoning me over to watch as he explained in detail how he was deftly picking the lock. Something about counterweight and pins and clicks. His explanation went almost entirely over my head, so I opted for the tactical choice of nodding and smiling as the door creaked open. There were probably better situations to actually learn the technique in than a time-sensitive high pressure first mission.

On the other side was a narrow spiral staircase and a solid wall. Harsh fluorescent lamps lit the interior, and it was eerily silent save for the sound of our footsteps. Oracle alerted us just before the inner wall opened up to expose the bottom floor room that there were two shadows. Peering around the corner to check, I saw a room full of containers, machinery, and cables that snaked upwards from them into the ceiling. Just as Oracle said there were two shadows, both of them thankfully with their backs to us and the small sealed emergency door. One of them was examining a monitoring station of some kind and the other had their head stuck in an open panel on a large electrical box, both of them wearing the same military uniform as the guards on the battlements. I wouldn't get a better chance at an ambush than this, and everything seemed to flow together in the moments that followed.

The grappling hook snaked around one of the cables overhead, and I was atop the guard staring at monitors before either of them realized they weren’t alone. I had seen Naoki-senpai tear off the masks of all kinds of shadows before, he always made it look so effortless, but when I tried it felt like it was glued on.

“Hey!? What the hell is going on!?” It squirmed, threatening my balance.

“Violet!” Mona cried out.

I dug my heels into the shadow’s shoulders, much to its dismay, and managed to rip the mask off. I tumbled off of it, but managed to catch the floor with my hands and nimbly flip back up to my feet in time to see the shadow’s body melt and reshape into a dark grey woolen sheep, with a twisted grin on its face and crimson eyes full of hatred. 

I didn’t wait to see what it could do. I tore my own mask off effortlessly, holding it up as flames consumed it and a pure white figure formed behind me. The manifestation of my inner self, Ella, needed no words to know my command. She hurled her bouquet of white roses straight into the demon’s face, where it erupted into a pillar of white light that filled the entire room. Before the light had faded I rushed forward again; a straight thrust punctured its neck and a flick of the wrist carved the sword back out cleanly to dispatch the blinded and light-seared demonic beast, leaving me with my sword pointed at the remaining shadow.

Its eyes went wide, having just seen me dispatch its companion almost effortlessly, and immediately melted into the form of a strange moth-like creature with spindly legs. I felt Mona arrive at my side ready to back me up, but just as I was about to resume my offense the shadow spoke.

“W-w-wait! D-don’t kill me! I know you, you’re just like our master. I’ll lend you my help, just please spare me!” It quavered, falling to its knees.

“I... Huh?” I hesitated, blade level with its antennae. “How exactly do you plan on helping us?”

“J-just trust me! Our master’s heart is all screwed up, I’m on your side in this!” It replied, bowing its head. "T-take my power and save him!"

Before I could ask any more questions, it crumpled in on itself and burst into a pile of blue flames. All that was left after the flames faded was a mask that looked identical to the one on my face. _Wild Card_. This was the power I saw Joker wield. More importantly it seemed like part of him wanted to be saved, if the shadow reflected a shard of his heart. Sheathing my sword, I knelt down to pick up the mask and examine it. While it didn't bear any visible markings, I could instinctively discern that it was different. It burst into flames once more, as the timid Mothman joined my ranks.

“Whoa... Violet that’s... That’s _Joker’s_ power isn’t it?” Mona stared up at me in awe.

“That’s what I was trying to explain before! But never mind that for now, Oracle can you get that door open from here?” I asked.

Oracle had already taken up her position in front of the monitor before I even asked, typing away on a console.

“Of course! But it seems like this system _just_ controls the lights and door for this single tower. Everything else is on separate isolated systems, I can’t even find a map of the Palace’s layout from here. Not to mention the security on all of this is particularly obnoxious to crack. Almost like _I_ came up with it." She mused. "He... Really doesn’t want to let anyone into his heart, does he Violet?”

“I’m not so sure,” I replied.

 _A prison is usually meant to keep something in, rather than out,_ I thought to myself again. I paced around the room trying to get a handle on my feelings before they could spiral out, and pushed aside my worry for Naoki-senpai. _We’re in the middle of infiltration right now, you have to act like a leader and make sure we get through this. Next steps, Sumire..._ I paused in my train of thought, noticing that Mona was digging through a storage container.

“Are you looking for something?” I asked.

“We’ll need supplies to continue our infiltration. Joker couldn’t exactly bring all the scraps back with us, so we’re starting from square one. I’m pretty smart for keeping at least one lock pick on me though right!?” He asked, clearly begging for praise.

“Yes, it’s good you had the foresight for that, Mona," I smiled. "Is there any other exit to this tower? I’m not sure how we’re supposed to get into the courtyard itself still.”

“Seems like the only two doors outside are the one right here and the one up top to the wall. And speaking of... Open sesame!” Oracle announced.

With a flourish she pressed a key, and there was a click from the lock behind us just before Skull barreled in with his mace raised. Everyone else followed in afterward carefully, clearly keeping an eye out for danger. Though once they saw the three of us and no sign of any shadows they lowered their guard.

“Good work. Did you three run into any trouble on your way here?” Queen asked.

“Nothing Violet didn’t dispatch easily! She’s got some real good moves,” Oracle said. "Top tier for sure."

“I-I'm what? I don’t think I did anything particularly special...” I mumbled. “I just made sure the enemies were dealt with before they could raise the alarm. It’s not going to be easy getting into the main structure, adding extra wrinkles would only make it worse.”

“Hm, generally it tends to not affect the layout of the Palace itself, just the alertness of the shadows,” Mona said. “But this is hardly a normal situation. I approve of your caution. More importantly, it’s up to you to decide who’s taking point alongside you.”

He had what looked like a large grey rope wrapped around himself, which I realized was a length of cable. The whole group was looking at me expectantly.

“Right! Since too many people at the front would make us too easy to spot as we sneak around,” Noir said.

I tried to avoid fidgeting under their gaze, instead turning inward to think of how to proceed. We didn’t know the layout of the facility, which meant we’d need a flexible team. Stealth was also a priority, but that should be a given for the Phantom Thieves. _What would Joker do? Base it on the opposition? Or…_ I didn’t have any way of knowing what we’d be facing either. Neither of the shadows we properly fought seemed particularly impressive considering I was able to beat them without giving them an opportunity to retaliate. I didn't doubt that the further in we got the heavier the resistance would be, as we got closer to Naoki's Treasure. Mona was versatile and experienced, and I’d still need his help with pickling locks, so his accompaniment was a given. As for the rest...

“Skull, Queen, follow my lead. Mona take point beside me. Fox and Noir cover Oracle as we try to get her access to the system,” I announced. “Does... That sound like a good plan?”

“Heheh, awright! It’s been a while since I got to kick some ass,” Skull rolled his shoulders.

“Are you sure about that one, Violet...” Mona grimaced.

“...Your leg is doing better now than it was before, right Skull?” I asked.

“Huh? Yeah I guess. The physical therapy’s helped but I'm still not supposed to put a lot of stress on it,” He replied.

“That’s fine,” I nodded. “We’ll have to cross the courtyard either way, so having our initial party be quick on their feet will be important. Queen has her motorbike, and I’ve got the grappling hook in a pinch.”

“And you’re an athlete yourself... But wait why Mona?” Skull tilted his head.

“He’s small and also our current tools expert," Queen cut in. "It’ll be hard to spot him in either case and he’s capable of riding together with one of us. That’s well thought out Violet. Though, Agnes isn't exactly subtle...”

“Perhaps we could forgo stealth entirely and all ride atop it and dash through,” Fox said.

"There's definitely not enough room for that," Queen flatly refused.

“Um, how are we going to get into the courtyard itself though?” Noir put a finger to her chin. “Oracle said there were just the two doors...”

“Hmhmhm, naturally we’ll be using this!” Mona held up the cables proudly. “We can use this as a makeshift rope to climb down the tower.”

“Oh! Mona-chan you're always so resourceful,” Noir said.

I turned to Oracle, remembering that we had a time limit before that other guard would double back and notice something had gone awry. _How long did we waste just standing around!? You need to keep the team focused, Sumire!_

“How many are with the searchlights on the roof? We still need to move quickly if we want to get inside before our intrusion is discovered,” I said.

“It seems like another two. They really like their two man teams he-” She began.

“Intruders! Sound the alarm!” A shadow brandished its flashlight at us from the spiral staircase.

 _So much for stealth. If only I had been quicker to come up with a plan._ I chastised myself as the first complication in our infiltration erupted into a cloud of black fog. When it cleared, a pitch black imp in purple clothes smiled wickedly at us, raising its hands up in the air.

“Die-ho!” It cheered.

The temperature of the room suddenly dropped several degrees, and a ball of ice hurtled towards us as the demon thrust its hands down. I didn’t need to shout anything for everyone to know to dodge out of the way. Everyone save Yusuke at least. _Wait, why was he not dodging!?_

“Fox!” I shouted.

“Amateurish really,” He sighed.

For one instant he had his hands on his katana, and in the next he was face to face with the demon on the stairs with the blade drawn. I didn’t see when he swung, but he left an impressive gash in the stairs right in front of the purple and black monster. His movement had been too sudden for me to follow. The ball of ice collapsed to the ground in two halves, having lost all its momentum and destructive force.

“Hee?” The demon blinked. “Hooo nooo... What's up with you!?”

The stairs were unfortunately too narrow for anyone else to follow up the opening Fox had made, but that hadn’t stopped Skull from trying. He had dropped his heavy looking mace at the base of the stairs, and was currently lining up his shotgun.

“Fox, duck!” He shouted.

Rather than listen to the blonde, Fox used the demon as a foothold to leap off of and surround it. It didn't escape my notice that he was both blocking its path of retreat and keeping an eye on the stairs above him. Not missing his chance, Skull fired two rounds cleanly into the shadow’s center of mass.

“Now I’m really mad-hooo!” It cried out.

“Eh? That wasn’t enough!?” Skull exclaimed.

We were being far too loud, it was a bad location for our group to fight in, and the room was still steadily icing over from whatever the shadow had done. We needed to finish this off quickly.

“Oracle! What’s this thing weak to?” I called out.

“On it! Let’s see here... Black Frost, weakness is blessed stuff, so give him a taste, Violet!” She replied.

Once more Ella appeared, casting another bouquet right at the demon. But for some reason it bounced off and the beam of light shot straight back at me, causing me to wince but otherwise leaving me unharmed.

“That didn’t work!? What’s up with this thing? Gimme a sec,” Oracle murmured.

The Black Frost spun around on the spot and, in a very un-frost-like manner, threw a wave of flames up the stairs towards Yusuke. It didn't look as vicious as the icicle, but there wasn’t anywhere for him to dodge. When the flames had passed, he was crouched on the ground with his arms shielding his face; his sleeves were burnt away and the skin appeared blistered. _What do I do!?_

“Noir! Koshien B!” Mona suddenly exclaimed.

“Got it!” She replied.

Without missing a beat, she picked up the cat and arched her back, before throwing Mona with all her might right at the demon. Her posture wasn't the best, but she had more than enough strength behind her toss.

“Meeoowwwww!” Mona cried out.

It was hard to tell if it was a war cry or if he was just screaming. Either way, he used the momentum to turn his flight into an aeriel somersault and brought his scimitar clean down into the shoulder of the demon. It didn’t cut all the way through, but thankfully it was still enough. The demon let out a final noise before bursting into ash, leaving us to catch our breath.

“What was up with that thing!? It was way too strong! And it was doin’ shit that it wasn’t supposed to right!?” Skull complained.

“Yeah... It’s almost like its weakness was specifically accounted for...” Oracle trailed off.

Why was she looking at me? ... _Oh._ The other demon called Joker its master. Which made sense considering he was the ruler of this palace. But that also meant that everything in here was a part of his heart. Including the creatures masquerading as shadows.

“...They’re all his personas.” I muttered.

Queen had rushed up the stairs to tend to Fox’s wounds, channeling a healing spell into his arms with a fair bit of grimacing and wincing on his part as the burns gradually faded away. Noir turned to me with a worried look on her face.

“Then, does that mean we’re destroying pieces of his heart?” She asked.

“I don’t think it's quite that direct. More likely these shadows are drawing from the strength in his heart, but twisted up,” Oracle explained. “But that still means we have a lot of real troublesome enemies... None of my information is likely to be accurate. I might be able to figure out a workaround given enough time though.”

“Do we actually have to force them to transform? It almost seems easier if we just dispatch them while they’re still shadows,” I asked.

“It’s possible, but it’s a risky move. If you don’t take them out in one blow they’ll just change forms right in your face and you’ll get a real nasty surprise,” Our navigator frowned.

“So we just need to land an instant killing blow then,” I said.

“Savage much? But yeah, should work in theory,” She confirmed.

Skull and Mona both helped Fox back up to his feet and gave him a pat. It seemed as though Queen had finished patching him up and we were ready to go. Just as well that we were, for a moment I thought I heard footsteps coming from above us. Miraculously the alarm hadn't been raised, but I didn’t know how long it would stay that way. I had already wasted enough time with my lackadaisical leadership; I couldn’t let myself get weighed down by negative thoughts, not when everyone’s lives were dependent on the decisions I made. No wonder Joker always seemed so exhausted after we were done...

“We need to move quickly, before reinforcements show up,” I ordered.

Everyone nodded in agreement, and we headed up the stairs. Mona took point with myself and Noir just behind him, Queen hanging back slightly due to the narrowness of the stairs. Since we weren’t crossing the courtyard yet, I decided that Noir’s specialty would be more useful. When we reached the top, the roof access door silently creaked open with a gentle touch after a bit of nimble handiwork from Mona. He raised a paw to signal to us how many enemies there were but...

“...Queen, is that supposed to be one or three?” I whispered.

She suppressed a giggle. “I’m not actually sure, Joker always took point for us since he could handle the locks himself.”

Mona glowered at us and tapped his head twice to signal two shadows. It seemed that nothing had come up to reinforce the two manning the searchlights thankfully. Had any of the other shadows even heard the one calling out? If we were lucky, the answer was no. I took point on the other side of the door and beckoned for Noir to take Mona’s position as we scanned the roof ourselves. The cables that snaked up from the room below connected to the searchlights up here; three comically oversized lanterns roughly the size of my standing height in diameter slowly rotated about to scan the perimeter of the Palace for signs of intrusion. I couldn’t see the other towers, but I knew from our preliminary scouting that there were six towers in total. The entire Palace was roughly surrounded by a massive hexagon of wall. The two shadows had their backs to us, one operating the lights at a console and the other gazing out at the courtyard with binoculars. They were mumbling something to each other, but from this far away I couldn't make out what they were saying.

On my signal, the two of us silently rushed them; my sword was angled to slice the one with the binoculars in its nape. Noir surprised me with the amount of grace she could put into swinging such a massive axe, as she cleanly separated the shadow’s head from its shoulders. Her swing was simultaneously fierce and also wasted no energy. She didn't even look like she was straining her arms to keep hold of the axe as she followed through on the momentum of the swing and spun around to bring the axe into the body. It seemed... Excessive, but it was effective at least. The same couldn't be said of my own strike. The blade glanced off the side of the shadow's neck, sending a reverberation back up through my arm and barely leaving a scratch. I couldn't exactly see since the shadow's body was entirely black, but it must have been armored. It spun around on the spot, but I had already swapped my sword to my free hand and drew my rifle with my right. I twirled the gun off of its clasp by the lever, priming a round in the chamber in the same moment that I brought it up to the shadow’s chin.

“You-” It started.

I pulled the trigger, and spun the gun around by the action once more, ready to fire a second round. I didn’t need to as it turned out, as both shadows crumpled into ash. I fastened my rifle and sheathed my sword with a sigh. This was already getting exhausting, and we had only just begun. How had senpai managed to make this look so effortless?

“Are you okay, Violet?” Noir nervously pat my shoulder.

“Eh!? Oh, yeah,” I snapped out of my thoughts and cleared my throat. “Mona, start fastening that cable on something so we can climb down.”

I picked up the dropped binoculars and looked out over the courtyard. There was two tall rectangular building with their narrow ends facing us, and further in there appeared to be a central structure. Considering how they lined up with the tower, I wouldn't be surprised if there were six in total with each facing a wall. I could see why they didn't bother with searchlights on the inside either: there were several hound-like shadows that were patrolling about, eerie masks glowing light blue. The part that made for actual trouble was that there wasn’t any cover to hide behind between us and the closest two buildings. The buildings were fairly large, at least three stories tall each; much like the walls surrounding the Palace, there didn’t appear to be any actual entrances to them either. That would be a problem. I could only barely make out the other nearby buildings, but they didn't look promising either.

“Oracle, how are we supposed to get in, exactly?” I asked.

She came out from the stairwell and held up a hand when I offered the binoculars, instead fidgeting with her goggles. They probably had some sophisticated scanning... Thing built into them.

“Ahhh, that’s gonna be a problem huh?” She mused.

“Rope’s secured! We can move down whenever,” Mona announced.

“Small problem though, we can’t find any entrances,” I said.

“For real!? What kinda prison has no way in,” Skull said.

“It’s reminiscent of Oracle’s tomb,” Fox noted.

“...No. There’s got to be something,” The orange-haired girl in question stated. “He had to have metaphorically broken out once before, technically. That should be represented in his cognition some-Ah! Found it.”

“What did you find, Oracle?” Queen asked.

“Mwehehe as expected of our team’s founder, it’s a classic thieves' entrance,” She pointed at the building.

I followed her finger with the binoculars, before smiling in relief. A small grate had been kicked out of one of the buildings, low to the ground and seemingly unnoticed by the security.

“Right. In that case follow my lead everyone,” I announced. “We’ve got a jailbreak to plot out.”


	5. Warden

_"Even the most precise clock will eventually deviate... It is the same with man. His memories become less accurate with time. A clock can be fixed. But what of you?"  
_ -The Count

7/25 | Tuesday | ???

The layout of the prison was almost rigidly geometric. The walls formed the outermost hexagon, corners each dotted with towers. Next were the buildings, one of which we were inside currently, and each of aligned with a segment of the outer wall; a narrow walking space separated the outer courtyard from the inner one, meaning none of the buildings were physically connected to each other. The innermost structure was a fair bit taller, like a panopticon, and had absolutely no entrances at all. It explained why all the patrolling guard hounds were in the outer courtyard, while the inner one was eerily still and silent.

The building we had ended up inside of was labeled 03, if the markings on the walls were anything to go by, and unfortunately the room with all the detailed information had been at the _top_ of it. Which meant that we had done a heavy bit of carving through shadows just to get up here. Fortunately the building was arranged rather orderly. Long strips of halls with stairs up and down at either end, though of course we had to cross the full length to move on to the next floor, and intersections at varying intervals cutting across the middle to the other end of the building. 

While the very orderly arrangement made navigation easier, it made sneaking past shadows a far more difficult hurdle; there simply wasn't enough to hide behind for proper ambushes. To make matters worse we hadn't come across a single separate room, just halls upon halls. The lack of rooms meant a lack of safe-rooms as well, and the endurance match that fighting the shadows here was meant everyone was exhausted by the time we made it to the aptly named surveillance room. I had to rotate the team around a few times as a result, though Mona stayed near the front to manage all the locked doors that were 'analogue' as Futaba had put it earlier. There weren't many at least, save for the entrances to the stairways.

Fortunately we could at least use the surveillance room to rest in. It wasn't safe by any means, and we wouldn't be able to reference where it was in the real world for an alternative infiltration point, but any port in a storm. 

“As expected of Naoki's palace, these shadows really don’t pull any punches do they?” Noir sighed as she melted into a chair.

“Yes, but Violet caught on quickly to their pattern. Still, it’s strange that most of the shadows in here use fire techniques. It almost feels intentional,” Queen mused.

“It’s a good thing we got her leading us. She’s picked up on the whole leader thing even faster than Joker did.” Skull winced, “Agh! Not so rough, Mona!”

Said non-cat was currently applying some ointment to Skull’s cheek. It was rather cute, watching him dab at Ryuji's cheek with his cat paws...

“Quit your whining. And quit moving around so much! Otherwise I’m not gonna be able to treat your burns properly,” he whined.

“It was my blunder that caused his burns. I should be the one to tend to him,” Fox suggested. “Perhaps I could use my brush-”

“No. I’m fine with Mona actually,” Skull hurriedly interrupted.

“Are you sure? I’d be able to take the time to actually teach Violet how to pick locks. Maybe then I’d get a break,” Mona grumbled.

“Aw, but aren’t you happy that you’re so vital to the team now Mona-chan?” Noir innocently asked. “Plus, she seems rather engrossed in that journal you lent her...”

I quickly looked back down, pretending like I hadn’t just been watching the cat squishing his paw into Ryuji’s cheek.

“Hahh, what good is it if Ann-dono isn’t here to see my efforts though?” he sighed.

“That’s seriously all you think about,” Skull grimaced.

“Jackpot! Found the motherlode!” Oracle cheered. "Or at least as much as I'm gonna find."

I looked up from the notebook on leadership, which had been a treasure trove of suggestions and 'notes' from Naoki-senpai, and peeked at the monitor over her shoulder. Naturally nothing on the screen made any kind of sense at all to me, but apparently she could interpret it just fine.

“Did you find out where he is?” I asked.

“Not quite, bu~t I may have found something just as good!” she replied with a proud smirk. “The power source for this block of the complex! And where it connects to in the central building. Couldn’t find any info about the other buildings, but I’d assume they’re all basically the same. Someone's really doing their best to keep me from getting my hands on the Palace's systems...”

“Which means we’ll have to make our way all the way to the communications room in each structure,” Queen said.

“Not necessarily, if every building has the same layout,” Oracle answered.

“Can we count on that though?” I asked.

“Mm, possibly, though that depends on how distorted each jailhouse is. If we headed straight to the main building I’d probably be able to figure out a way of tracking the signals back to their sources, but we’d have to get in there somehow first,” she mused.

“Is there roof access? Considering the general layout, finding the communications and control room first each time would be easiest. I think...” I pensively asked.

She hummed thoughtfully. “We’d have to go up and check each roof, but there’s a ventilation shaft for this building at least that’ll take us up there. It’s how air is getting filtered in so presumably each of the buildings would have to have something similar.”

“That’s worth checking out at least. I’m guessing it’s on the opposite end of the top floor?” I asked.

“Are you psychic!?” She pulled her head from the monitor to stare at me in shock.

“Next you’re going to tell me that the power source we need to disable is at the bottom floor on the far side as well,” I drily suggested.

“You’d think that, but nope! The signal's coming from the second floor, somewhere in the middle of the building. And just scanning this building I’m getting some kind of... Really powerful reading from there,” Oracle frowned. “They’ve probably got a midboss tier shadow guarding it, considering how important it is.”

I let out a sigh and looked over the group. Tired as they seemed, we couldn't afford to spend two whole weeks on this place. It was mostly my fault for not coordinating everyone correctly too, which stung deeper than if it were just people reaching their natural limits. There was also the issue that at this point we wouldn't be able to do it all in a single day, which meant we'd have to bite the bullet and take Naoki to the hospital to at least get him on an IV. Which would present a whole lot of other complications, like how we got into the family’s house and what we were doing there a whole day. But of course the alternative was that I’d be risking everyone’s lives. The advice from Naoki's notes drifted back as soon as I began thinking. _Don’t be afraid to consult the others. Especially our advisor_. I frowned privately to myself. We were in this mess in the first place because none of us approached Naoki-senpai about his problems, but also because he didn't approach anyone else either. It’d be incredibly stupid of me to keep my doubt to myself, and yet it had been my first impulse.

“I’d like to call a meeting, if everyone’s awake and up to it,” I announced.

“Wassup? Ouch! M-Mona your claw’s digging into my ear!” Skull groaned.

“Moron, that’s what’ll happen when you suddenly swivel your head!” the cat angrily retorted.

“What’d you sa-aghck my eye!”

“Well, aside from Skull being as hopeless as usual, what did you want to talk about, Violet?” Mona sighed.

I waited for the group to shift their attention to me. I glanced at each of them trying to read their expressions, but everyone was smiling. _They're pr_ _obably hiding their exhaustion_...

“I was mulling over something by myself and realized I should ask all of you for your input. How’s everyone feeling?” I asked.

“Just fine, though we’ve admittedly had a couple close scrapes,” Queen quickly replied.

"I could go for a snack," Fox said.

I tossed him a protein bar with a small sigh. "We really need to work on your diet. Eating so infrequently is bad for your stamina and physique."

“I’m feeling alright after catching my breath! Chopping firewood is a good way to build stamina,” Noir said.

"Anyone else creeped out by that...? And why're you lookin' at me!?" Skull frowned. "I've got loads of energy to spare!"

"Oh, I'm sorry... I was just worried about your burns," Noir placidly replied.

"You really need to learn some delicacy Skull," Mona jabbed. "I could use a break, but it sounds like you have something in mind."

“Yes, I was speaking more in regards to our current situation,” I explained. “We’ve already met with a heavy amount of resistance, and it’ll only probably get more severe as we continue on. Not to mention the lack of safe-rooms means we have a precarious amount of backtracking to do, and from my perspective we’re starting to get worn down before we’ve even tackled a tenth of the place. ...N-not to say you’re not all doing your best! It’s just...”

“Hmm,” Queen put her hand to her chin in thought. “It’s true that we’re facing particularly nasty enemies. Joker would often pull a lot of the weight in combat too, as ashamed as I am to admit.”

“Ah... My apologies, everyone,” I lowered my head.

“No it’s fine, as said before you’re doing extremely well for being thrown into the deep end right out of the gate. All things considered this is smoother than it probably should have been.” She corrected herself.

“Queen is right, you shouldn’t compare yourself to Joker at his peak when you’ve just acquired a taste for the leadership role. And this protein bar is delicious,” Fox added. "How much do I owe you for this?"

"They're only a couple hundred yen at the convenience store, it's fine," I said.

"I'll repay you as soon as I'm able!" he energetically replied.

“I think I see what she’s trying to get at,” Noir steered the conversation back. “We have a long way to go and are already starting to get worn down, but that’s not the only thing we have to consider. There's still the issue of Naoki-kun being unconscious.”

"Hmm, I see. It’s true if we take too long his physical health will be severely impacted. Shall we withdraw for now to move him to the hospital?” Fox asked.

“That’s what I was saying we should do in the first place...” Queen sighed. “But we’ve at least confirmed that he does have a palace, and it’s likely tied to whatever is keeping him asleep. Thanks to Violet.”

She smiled at me, offering a nod of deferral.

“Th-thanks. I’m a little worried about how we’ll explain the situation. Especially given his family's reputation,” I frowned.

“True... But couldn’t we tell them that he simply collapsed on us? I don’t think they’d refuse to treat him just because of who he is. And we’re used to forcing the issue, right everyone?” Noir looked around.

“Yeah! I’ll kick the shit out of anyone that’d refuse Naonao just cause of some family curse shit,” Skull punched his hands together.

“I think that would just complicate things,” Queen shook her head.

“We should at least finish peeking around this building, maybe take a look at that power source. Since we’ve cleared out a good number of the shadows. Plus, I get the feeling that whoever's trying to keep me out will change up security as soon as we stop paying attention,” Oracle said. "Plus, if we can find a safe-room we'll have an easier alternate infiltration point."

“Sound advice, but of course the choice remains with our leader,” Fox turned toward me, and the rest of the group followed suit.

“Alright, get your stuff together then. We’re checking out the roof access and the power source, and then heading back to reality for our next battle,” I declared.

—

The shadows certainly hadn’t gotten any _weaker_ after our pep talk, but somehow everything felt like it was going smoother. Maybe it was just my imagination, but it felt like the team was more coordinated than before. Or possibly more motivated? Naoki-senpai's journal had said encouraging everyone would make things go smoother, but I didn't think it'd have such a pronounced and noticeable effect. Even Skull and Mona were working together, as the former clocked a shadow in the back of it's head while the latter slid between it's legs and split it in half from the bottom up. They weren't even using their personas, I noted. As usual, I had been worrying about the wrong aspect and had focused on the two of them arguing, rather than looking at the bigger picture as Naoki had put it. _Ryuji and Morgana are almost frustratingly tsundere, when it comes to how well they work together versus how they treat each other. Let them bicker when they need to, but give them a unifying goal and they compliment each other perfectly._ Sure enough, I had been trying to keep them apart and it had complicated the rivalry instead of giving them a way to compete. _Even now you're watching over me, right?_

After the last shadow was felled, Oracle stopped up just before we came upon an intersection and drew me out of my thoughts.

“Wait! Just ahead, I’m getting that huge midboss-ish reading,” she announced. “Huh? Wait, what’s this other signal...”

“What’s the plan, leader?” Mona whispered from my shoulder.

“I’ll go in first with Black Frost, considering what we’ve been up against so far. You and Skull wait around the corner and hop in after I engage. Queen follow me up in case it opens with something nas-”

“Panther!? That can’t be right. She should still be in America. What the heck’s her signal doing here!?” Oracle exclaimed.

“Lady Ann!? Wait for me, my beloved!” Mona cheered.

He leapt off my shoulder, running around the corner before any of us could object. My feet followed him before I could process fully what was happening, though I at least had the wherewithal to draw my sword as we ran into the intersecting halls. Immediately I noticed the stacked walls of prison cells, but something much more pressing drew my attention away.

Standing at the middle of the intersection was Takamaki Ann. Panther, I should say, since she was in her thief outfit; but there was something wrong about the way she looked. Like her outfit had been left out in the sun and the colors faded, but with her hair as well. Not to mention she had a rather unpleasant frown, when I couldn't think of Ann as anything but smiles and cheer.

“Hey! Why are you pointing that at _me!?"_ she asked. “And why’re you skulking about like that?”

I looked at her, then at my sword, before slowly lowering it. I caught my confusion before it showed on my face, as I did my best to _think quickly._ This obviously couldn’t be the real Ann, which meant that it was a situation like Lavenza where she was a cognitive version. But would she be on our side? Futaba said there was a dangerous reading, was that her? Would she attack us as soon as we gave her any sign something was up. Or was she like Lavenza and already knew and would assist us. _Try to gain as much information before fighting._ No reason not to at least talk for a bit first.

“Ahh sorry, we thought you were an enemy. Oracle was picking up on a strong signal around here,” I smoothly said.

“She did? Must be those intruders then,” she replied.

I tensed up immediately, and Mona who was halfway between us froze in place. _Not good._

“But I can handle it fine on my own! Surely _you_ didn't need to come all the way up here just for this, Violet. You should be looking over Naoki. Ri~ght?” ‘Panther’ sneered.

Could we take her in a straight fight if it came down to it? I felt everyone waiting around the corner for my signal, most likely they picked up on what was going on. _Rather than fight head on, see how you can turn a situation into a victory before even drawing weapons._ I recalled the passage from the notebook. Was there some way around this? I didn’t want to have to fight Ann, even if it was just a cognitive version of her. I wracked my brain for an answer, realizing I’d have to act quickly to not get flagged as suspicious.

“Y-yeah. I guess you’re right,” I muttered. “We were just eager to help, plus I think Mona’s missed you.”

“Ahaha, it’s not like we’re ever that far away though right?” the false Ann replied.

“That’s true,” I nodded. “...Now then, let’s head back, Mona.”

“Eh!? But Panther...” he hesitated, looking at the girl in question before relenting.

The cognitive Panther didn’t seem to react, until we had nearly crossed the threshold around the corner.

“By the way, you know that you’re going the wrong way, right Violet?” she sneered.

I felt a flicker of panic and leaned in to the impulse as I reflexively gripped Mona and huddled around him, feeling a tremendous gout of flame on my back as it washed over me; I felt the heat of it, but there was a distance to it. Like remembering the warmth of a fireplace when it wasn't actively burning. I didn't think I'd ever get used to personas and their magic properties. 

“Violet! Are you and Mona alright!?” I heard Noir call out.

“They’re fine, Violet shielded Mona; but get ready everyone, that reading’s coming for us!” Oracle said.

“To think that our intruders would have the gall to imitate the forms of us wardens!” ‘Panther’ projected her voice as if she were addressing a crowd. “What is to be the sentence for these failures who would dare forgive our prisoner!?”

I could feel my heart thumping in my ears in the silence that followed. There was an oppressive weight bearing down on my shoulders, as though the air itself were trying to crush us under the weight of what we'd done. I shook my head to chase away the feeling and looked over to where Queen and the others were hiding, nodding subtly. We’d have to fight our way through, and in more ways than one perhaps. I released Mona and spun around on the spot, standing up straight with my sword pointed back towards the cognitive girl.

Except she wasn’t standing there anymore. Instead there was a towering gorilla-esque shadow, as broad as a car and standing tall as a trailer, with skin like rippling black glass. Occasionally motes of red light would flare to the surface, like explosions or twinkling stars trapped inside. Where normally a neck would extend into a head, it had a single red eye. Sitting on its shoulder with an ill-fitting sneer was Panther, toying with a nasty looking chain whip in her hands.

“Oracle, advice?” my voice cracked.

“Die quickly, impostor. It will be more painless that way,” the fake cut in.

I couldn’t hear what Oracle said, as my ears filled with the sound of flames once more and I squinted my eyes shut against the light. Once again they had no effect on me, and as I opened my eyes I noticed that Panther was no longer smirking.

“You are not Sumire,” she half-asked, eyes narrowing.

“I am,” I replied, “and I'm also senpai’s greatest _hope_.”

In the next moment I rushed forward, trusting that the others would follow at the first sign of an opening. I spun around the side as it brought both of its massive arms forward, smashing the ground where I would have been with enough force to send a tremor through the building. Rather than think about what would happen if that struck me, I chanced a strike against one of its wrists. My sword bounced uselessly away and the lumbering shadow took the opportunity to reach for me, but its movements were almost comically slow. I vaulted onto its hand and flicked my wrist again, feeling my sword clink uselessly off of its onyx hide. _The eye, perhaps._ I rushed up the length of its arm, only to be thrown off with a bloody laceration on my cheek and laughter ringing in my ears. _Right, she wouldn’t make it easy for me. But that confirms a possible weakness at least._

“Oracle?” I called out, ducking under a lumbering swipe.

“I-I can’t get a proper read on it! Whatever it is, the signals getting blocked,” she shouted back.

“Then that just means we gotta smash it!” Skull cried out.

His mace struck the shadow in the thigh as he ran past it, though the attack didn’t so much as scratch it. For his troubles, one of the motes of flame sparkled, and the black marble-like flesh parted for the fire to spew out at him. Fortunately he had enough momentum that he was able to sprint out of the way, but from what I could tell it was too close for comfort.

“This isn’t working Violet. It’s likely immune to physical attacks,” Queen was right behind me, her persona's engines revving.

“I’m open to suggestions,” I replied.

"See the eye?" she pointed.

I nodded, "Probably a weak point, but she's guarding it."

“I'll get you an opening,” she said.

We cut our conversation off as more flames blasted at us. I lost track of Queen, though the sound of her persona’s engine drew my attention upward. She had avoided the flames by driving up the wall and onto the ceiling. She dismissed her persona just in time to launch herself into a divekick aimed right at the false Panther, knocking her off the shadow and leaving her sprawled out. The hulking shadow swung wide trying and failing to catch me with its hand again, while simultaneously pivoting towards Skull with its body. I could see that the swipe meant to catch me would follow through the whole way and strike him if I let it.

I unleashed the power stored in my mask that had taken us off guard before, turning the black and purple imp upon the giant.

“Let’s hee this ho!”

 _Were they talkative for Naoki-senpai as well? It must have been grating..._ I shook the thought away, commanding it to freeze the shadow’s legs. I underestimated the monster’s strength and momentum though, as the instant it was frozen up to its ankles it's legs ripped apart from its feet as it kept rotating. My worry for Skull was short lived when it tumbled forward onto the ground without anything to stand on. Even on the... Inside of its legs it was just more of that black liquid-like stone, rather than bone or muscle.

“Fox! Help me put this thing on ice!” I called out.

“Pff, ahaha you think you’re funny don’t you Sumire? Gigant won’t go down to half-baked tricks and puns,” not-Panther jeered before being decked square in the jaw.

She definitely should have been paying more attention to the brawler right beside her.

Fox didn’t miss a beat as he stepped in from behind the corner, creating a ring of frost beneath the shadow to keep it from standing back up. Since brute force wouldn’t have limited its movement options, he hedged his bet on removing its footing. At least, I assumed that was his logic and not that he took my order _literally_. The shadow reacted predictably, motes of light and flame gathering as it prepared to incinerate the area around it and remove our floor hazard. Admittedly, I hadn’t thought of what to do about that other than keep trying to freeze it. And currently Queen was still in harm's way, getting into a somewhat one-sided fistfight with 'Panther'.

But I could capitalize on the situation.

“Queen! Tag out!” I shouted.

She withdrew as soon as I asked and, genius intellect that she was, likely immediately realized my aim. The fake Ann didn’t seem pleased and attempted to lash out at Queen, but I parried the whip as I moved forward and danced around to put myself between her and the Gigant's face. From what I could tell she was limited to what any of us could do without a persona. The real threat was the hulking monster we were standing right in front of, moments away from exploding flames everywhere. I ducked under a crack of her whip, and feinted a blow at her before flipping the grip on my sword to thrust it straight back into the shadow's eye behind me.

Flames erupted, and I spun around in confusion to look at the shadow. My sword had gone straight into its eye, but it seemed unbothered by it. It forced the sword out with an unsettling squelch, and the wound I made healed up like it was nothing.

"You see? You really are weak and useless after all, I can't believe he picked you over _me,_ " she taunted.

I felt a spike of anger, and feinted low before bringing my sword up for a decapitating blow. The warden was forced to take a step back, her expression somewhat rattled.

"Hey whoa now, you really just tried to _kill_ me didn't you?"

Instead of responding, I ducked low as the shadow swung its balled up fists over me from behind and threw myself to the right when the whip struck the ground where I had been. I fired my grappling hook after tumbling back up to a crouch and tangled it up with her whip, dragging her towards me. She realized my plan just a moment too late; even though she let go of her whip, she had been drawn toward me and thrown off balance. I thrust my sword up to the hilt through her abdomen and a massive hand froze over inches away from the two of us. I breathed a sigh of relief as Fox came through just in time and pulled my sword from the fake Panther.

"Lie down and surrender, and we'll heal you," I ordered.

"I'd rather die than be helped by the ones who stole Shiho away again," she spat.

I slid my hand across the mask on my face, an action that made visualizing the spiritual effect easier. Suzaku appeared perched on my shoulder, cawing menacingly at the cognitive girl. I glanced at the frozen shadow, and then began healing her.

"I'm just going to try killing you again," not-Ann frowned.

"We've beaten your shadow, you should learn when to quit," I countered.

"You haven't beat _anything_ ," she hissed.

Moments later, the ice covering the Gigant shattered, and I realized its entire body was rippling with heat. I continued to heal the Warden, who looked increasingly confused.

“You’ve gone mad! You know what’s going to happen, right!?” she murmured.

“That’s the plan,” I innocently smiled back. "Queen!"

'Panther's' face paled as she tried to scramble away, but I grabbed her arm to keep her from running. Seconds later the beast’s body shuddered as its erupted in flames; moments after the harmless heat washed over me, the light of an atomic flare blinded all of us as the intersection detonated with an ear-splitting explosion fueled by the shadow's flames. The force of the blast threw me against iron bars, the pain of which I felt more immediately than the actual nuclear blast. Forcing my eyes open, I noted that one of my coattails was smoldering and my right boot had been melted by the heat. It stung terribly, and I briefly wondered if the rubber had fused to my skin before I remembered there was still a fight going on and we were in the middle of a Palace.

Dragging my attention back to reality and standing up, I noticed that the cognitive Ann had been blasted further down the row of jail cells than I had, a scrap of her suit stuck to my red glove. Her whip and my sword were laying beside her. I limped towards her, trusting the rest of the team to be able to finish the shadow without me, or whatever was left of it. By the time I reached her, she was coughing and blindly groping for her weapon. I kicked it away with a wince, before picking up my sword and looming over her.

“You’re a part of Naoki-senpai’s Palace, so start giving me details,” I demanded.

My patience and mercy were at their limits for her. She had the appearance of a friend, but nothing about her was friendly. It wasn't Ann, and if she was insistent on dragging this out to the end...

“Should I be _afraid_ of you, Sumire?” she responded. “I always knew you were his favorite. I resented you for it, you know.”

“Wh-what?" I mumbled in surprise.

“It frustrated me. I resented Naoki for it, too. Not that I’d ever tell him,” she turned her gaze away. “He’s too thick headed for his own good.”

“...That’s not true,” I stated coldly. "Ann doesn't feel that way."

“Hahaha, and how do _you_ know that? You don’t talk to any of us. You don’t know anything. You don’t even know why Naoki’s like this,” She sneered again.

I felt a mixture of pain and anger. _T_ _his isn’t Ann._ I reminded myself as I looked at her awful smile. I felt an itch in the back of my mind. Something about this felt familiar, but I couldn't place why or how.

“You can try and rescue him, sure. But you’ll fail. Just look around you! It’s a monster that nobody can manage,” she spat. “And it’s claimed _him_ as its prized champion. ‘Takenaka family curse’ indeed.”

“You’re wrong,” I muttered darkly, the words not feeling entirely like my own. “He’s not cursed. And he belongs to _me.”_

My sword punched into the impostor’s throat, and I slid my shaking hands off the pommel and grip as fury left me and pain took over. Laughter echoed in my mind, even as she vanished into smoke and ash. I fell back as the tension left my muscles and I laid there for a moment, forgetting where I was as the weight of stabbing someone who appeared more or less identical to a friend sank in. _Murder._ I let my thoughts wander to avoid lingering on her dying expression. _No, it wasn't._ _That obviously wasn’t Ann, but is that how Naoki really sees her? No, remember what Akechi said. The thoughts of Palace residents reflect the views of the owner. So... Does he resent me then? Or is it that he thinks Ann is the jealous type? Or perhaps he’s worried-_

The sound of footsteps broke my chain of thoughts, and I tilted my head back to look at the upside down thieves rushing towards me.

“Violet! Are you okay!?” Queen crouched beside me with a frown.

I nodded and raised a hand in a thumbs up. "This is nothing compared to what Coach Hiraguchi's put me through."

“I’m sorry, I assumed you had a plan for avoiding the blast. You shouldn't act so recklessly,” she chided me.

“Heh, maybe it’s just a thing with leaders? Or uh, that ‘wild’ thing. Makes ‘em act all crazy?” Skull suggested.

“I’m fine. More importantly what about that huge shadow?” I answered.

I attempted to prop myself up on an elbow, turning to look behind myself. The intersection was scorched black, and Oracle was curiously peering down into a hole that had been left behind by the blast.

“Blown to pieces, according to Oracle the rest of the shadows in here have fled too,” Queen said.

“In its place we found this curious object,” Fox joined us, holding a small cupronickel coin in his hands.

I looked at the group and then at the 500 yen coin. I was confused for a moment, wondering what the significance was other than the notion Yusuke had never had 500 yen before. My eyes widened just a fraction as I made the connection.

“An old coin? It’s not a treasure, is it?” I asked.

“No but it might be our key to it, if my guess is right. And I usually am! I’m at the top of the global leaderboard in Goblin Town's quiz game after all!” Oracle proudly declared. “It’s giving off a matching signal to the power source we’re looking for, so it’s probably the key for turning it on or off. Which makes it one of seven.”

“Ahh,” I replied, “Are you picking up any more of those dangerous signals? I’m not sure how many more fights like that I can manage.”

“Can't detect anything outside of the building while we're inside,” she answered. "But everything bailed as soon as the boss went down."

“Speaking of, let me take care of those wounds Violet,” Queen said.

She gingerly touched the melted boot, causing a spike of pain to rush through me. Probably a good idea to get that taken care of as soon as possible, hopefully it wasn't broken. An injury like that would be career ending. What _had_ gotten into me, that I'd make such a reckless decision?

“Alright,” I sighed.

Haru, meanwhile, had been looking at all the prison cells with a sad frown after making sure I was okay. Everyone else had been so focused on my condition, and myself on them, that none of us thought to take a closer look until she brought it up.

“This is... Awful,” she muttered.

I followed her gaze, and for the first time saw what was inside the jail cells. Takenaka Naoki. Younger, and in prisoner’s garb, but undeniably him. His hair was the same tousled mess it always was, his glasses were missing, and his face rounder with youth. He couldn’t have been older than 12, but his eyes were devoid of life. He gazed in our direction, but didn’t _see_ anything. In another cell, another young Naoki sat; and another staring at the wall. Every cell was occupied in the same way, a soulless Naoki frozen in place. _'Just look around you', huh?_

“Oracle...?” I asked, my voice rough.

“I’m not sure, I’m not getting any kind of reading at all. It’s like they’re just... Scenery,” she quietly said.

“Let’s go then,” I replied.

I stood up, displacing Queen and Mona who were in the process of removing my warped boot and healing my leg. I bit down on a yelp of pain as I put weight on my foot.

“Don’t be stupid!” Mona groused.

“At least wait for us to finish healing you,” Queen sighed. “...Just because Joker was aggressive and reckless doesn’t mean that you should be as well.”

I didn’t bother arguing the point, she was right. I was letting myself get emotional again, and I couldn't afford an injury like this even if Metaverse wounds functioned... Differently. They didn't linger after leaving, but the feeling of them did and that was enough to give me pause, as I thought about the irritation of trying to train while convincing myself my leg wasn't actually broken. I looked at one of the motionless Naokis, the worst of the pain subsiding after a heartbeat.

“I’ve done what I can for now, but we should consider leaving the Palace soon. We’re starting to run on fumes, after being caught flatfooted in that fight,” Mona said. "There's also a few things I want to teach you now that we have some supplies to work with."

I noticed he rather pointedly avoided mentioning that it was _his_ haste that caused our fight to go how it did, but I let the point go unsaid. There were other things I was more curious about.

“I’ve been wondering how time passes here, actually,” I mused.

Oracle snatched the coin out of Fox’s hand, turning it over and rubbing her chin as she considered something.

“Distorted, is how I’d describe it,” she responded after a beat. “It’s the realm of the heart, so it’s like a snapshot of how the person feels. Which would imply there’s no actual _passage_ of time.”

Queen nodded. “Time is a purely human construct to represent entropy.”

“What’s that got to do with us spending time here though!?” Skull frowned.

"Couldn't we use this to study for an infinite amount of time, then?" I suggested.

"I... Never thought of that," Noir tapped her chin. "It would be pretty dangerous though, wouldn't it?"

"I wouldn't recommend it, and it'd be hard to focus with the oppressive atmosphere... Not to mention it'd mean leaving someone with a Palace," Queen said.

“True... Sorry for drawing us off topic. Let’s find the power supply for now. After that we’ll leave for the day,” I ordered. “...And we’ll check on Naoki-senpai.”

I felt... Odd. Perhaps having to handle so much at once had left me mentally drained, or maybe I was just a sort of cold person at heart, because I thought about the exchange I had with the cognitive Ann and only felt numbness about it now. Even though I knew she wasn’t real, it still felt real. In that sense I was a murderer, or at least someone capable of it. _I tried to show her mercy, but what other choice did she leave me with?_ I didn’t like the thought of it, but ignoring the feeling might have been worse. 

“Is something troubling you, Violet?” Noir lingered back behind the group with me.

“A lot of things,” I replied honestly, “But none of them are things we can’t set aside until we’re out of here.”

I decided to ignore it for now. We had more pressing matters to address.

Oracle had claimed the signal for the power source was somewhere in here, but all we could find were rows upon rows of jail cells. I could tell it was starting to unnerve people as we silently walked up and down the hall. The jail cells didn't have any way in or out of them, and none of the Naokis were responsive; even when Skull lost his temper and banged against one of their jail cell bars with his mace the most we got were echoes through the building of his yelling. If this place was a reflection of his heart, it was fairly clear to me what this meant. Hundreds of pieces of him, purposefully locked away and guarded by non-existent wisps of resentment. It wasn’t that he never trusted any of us, just that he thought we’d hate who he was beneath the surface. At least, that’s how it seemed to me.

“Ah, here. Right here,” Oracle stopped in front of a cell.

It didn’t seem any different from any other, the Naoki inside was simply sitting on the bed staring at the wall, mumbling voicelessly to himself.

“This is the... Power source?” My brow furrowed.

“Is it inside the cell or somethin’?” Skull started testing the bars.

“I think it _is_ the cell,” Oracle frowned. “The reading I’m getting is coming from the room itself.”

Noir walked up to address the boy in the cell.

“Naoki? Can you hear us? ...He doesn’t seem to be reacting at all,” she mumbled.

“What about the coin? Oracle said it was a key, perhaps we should try handing it over,” Queen suggested.

I took it out, as I had been entrusted with it as the leader, and held it up to the jail cell. There wasn’t any reaction. At least not until after I mimed putting it in a coin slot and pushed my arm through the bars, the Naoki sitting there turned his head and looked at me. He stood up and slowly shuffled toward us, extending his palm for me to place the coin on. I looked around at the group, and as they nodded I handed it over. 

The young boy held it tightly in his hands, and my vision went white as I saw tears well up in his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again everyone, thank you for reading this far! I'm putting this here to let everyone know that I'll be moving updates to Monday at midnight instead of Sunday (though I'm not sure how many people really care?) just to fit my schedule a little better. Also I finally have some combat written out, sloppy and stiff as it may seem, and I'm wondering if the Mature rating is particularly warranted. I don't really have a good perspective of tags or ratings on AO3, but there will be some fairly heavy sections coming up (I'll add a content warning before any chapter that has a sensitive subject.) but I'm still not sure if I was erring too much on the side of caution or not. Comments about that would be appreciated, but otherwise hopefully people are enjoying reading this as much as I am writing it!


	6. Cursed

??? | ??? | Cloudy

The boy stifled a sigh as he walked down the lonesome street towards home, feeling the gazes of the housewives waiting for their children fall upon him with disdain. When nobody approached him, he considered it a good day. He still had the bruise under his left eye from when one of the kids in his class threw a stone at him earlier in the week. For some reason he had been blamed for being the one struck, as though sending him to the nurse's office was a _chore_ for the teacher to carry out.

He knew he didn’t deserve that kind of treatment, but what could he do about it? His self-depreciation and bizarre sense of humor fell on deaf ears with the other kids at school. Silence didn’t work either, as that just encouraged the whispering of rumors about him. That he would snap like his sister. That Shouichi, his father, was worthless. That his mother was a psychopath. That he took after all of them. That his family was cursed.

He had learned to tune out the words, but the meaning still lingered. That he was somehow _other_ . More and more lately the boy wondered if there was a kernel of truth to that. He was only eleven, but already he knew how to do chores that other kids his age didn't even have to think about. It was out of necessity, certainly, but when he wasn’t in school he took care of the family home all on his own. It was notable to him, because the one time he attempted to joke about the weather interfering with hanging, all of the kids around gave him a look like he had proclaimed aliens were real and coming to take them all away. Stuff like that was the purview of _adults_ , and for a kid to care or talk about it was ludicrous to them. 

He rubbed his right eye, shaking away the exhaustion as he returned home and fumbled with his key ring. He had started keeping them on a chain tucked into his pants, to keep them from getting stolen; unfortunately it meant enduring a fair bit of discomfort as they pressed against his thigh. It was still better than trying to speak to the teachers about having his keys stolen again though. They never helped him, not really. He would either go ignored or told they would look into it, fail to contact Shouichi about the matter, and then go about their business like it never happened. On one occasion when his desk had been scrawled on the teacher blamed _him_ for vandalizing it, so he even took to cleaning off the hateful comments himself.

He recalled the lessons his mother had given when he was still young, that their family was cut from a different cloth, that so long as he followed the rules set forth by the original heads of the family he’d live a better life than the rest of those he’d meet. It rang hollow these days, considering the sort of treatment he received at school and from both the children and adults in his life. Nothing about his life was _better_ , he simply went through the necessary motions for survival. He did what he could to keep Shouichi and himself alive, and just keeping their heads above water was already proving to be more than a single eleven year old boy could handle. 

The boy wondered how much longer this would go on for, how much longer it _could_ go on for, as he stepped into the house. He didn’t bother announcing his return, Shouichi likely wouldn’t be home at all or would be home late and reeking of alcohol; even if he weren't, announcing his presence would be the equivalent of telling a cornered animal that the lion had arrived. Shouichi loathed and feared him, and even if it wasn't fair he at least understood the reason why. It wasn't a pleasant memory, so instead he chose to avoid thinking too hard about it, much like he did with everything involving interacting with the man.

The house was far too big for just the two people that lived there now, and the fact he was both small and just one person meant that he couldn’t possibly keep every single room properly maintained. The halls, living room, kitchen, two bathrooms, and their two bedrooms was all the boy could really manage; even that ran him ragged when combined with shopping, laundry, school, and paying bills. He made an effort when he had rare slices of free time to at least dust another room right beside his, though he only entered it when he knew Shouichi wasn’t around.

Kicking off his shoes and climbing up the stairs, the boy crept into the room that had belonged to his older sister. He took the picture frame from a drawer tucked beneath the bed and curled up while looking at it. A memory he already couldn’t remember, something that happened long enough ago that even just the shapes and colors of having his photo taken with his two sisters was difficult to manage. But he held proof in his hands, a picture that had survived Shouichi’s drunken fury. Proof that at one point in his life he had been happy together with his sisters as his parents no doubt smiled on the other end of that camera. Takenaka Naoki clung to that warmth, and wept.

—

Falling asleep hadn’t been part of his plans, though he acknowledged that he probably needed the rest. It unfortunately also meant that he’d been unable to head to the market to buy dinner. The store owners didn’t like him being out after sundown, though they didn’t _hate_ him like seemingly the rest of the town. Perhaps it was kindness that their indifference to his hunger was out of concern for his safety at night, or perhaps they feigned concern for his safety at night as an excuse to get him out of the way. No matter the case, oversleeping meant dinner that night was instant noodles. 

He always set the table for two, though Shouichi rarely ate what Naoki made and never when the boy was actively around the kitchen. His lips curled into an unhappy smile as he looked past the silver dinner bell sitting in the exact center of the table, at the sealed bowl of noodles across from him. Shouichi would probably actually eat those, since there wasn’t any chance that Naoki could have poisoned them or whatever went through his head about what the boy did to his meals. He knew he wasn’t that bad of a cook, though admittedly he opted for barest necessities rather than luxuries given the family savings and what he could skim from Shouichi's pay.

At least the other kids at school appreciated his cooking whenever they'd steal his lunchbox and ask who's mom he begged to make it. It was only made worse when he answered honestly that he prepared his own meals; disbelief and laughing at him for being girly. As if cooking was something only women did. The bullies were beyond his understanding and he gave up thinking about their motives early on; after all if they were so afraid of him ending up like his sister, why did they harass him? It would make him snapping and going violently crazy more likely, which would be bad for them. Of course, that assumed that he _would_ , the possibility of which scared him more than it probably did anyone else. Maybe they were gripped with morbid curiosity and wanted to see what would happen if he did.

“Thanks for the meal,” he quietly whispered.

He quickly cleaned up after himself, making sure the cooking sake was still untouched and hidden where Shouichi wouldn’t be likely to find it. Naoki knew if that man were given the opportunity he’d ruin himself with any alcohol he could get his hands on, and it was bad enough that local bars didn’t think to kick him out on sight. It meant that Naoki felt justified when he took from Shouichi's earnings for groceries; he simply couldn’t trust Shouichi to not waste it all on alcohol instead of actual food for the two of them. Fortunately he had been able to find where his father kept the family's savings and his own leftover money from whatever latest binge he went on, though it didn't exactly help his own mental self-image when other people already called him a thief for skulking around. It was a baseless insult from their perspective, but to him it felt somewhat true. He was surprisingly good at sneaking around unnoticed, since it was simply safer for him than to have attention drawn to him. He never actually stole from anyone else, but he was worried he might have to eventually; his father's leftovers weren't enough on their own, and their savings were slowly but surely dwindling.

Perhaps it was for the best he missed shopping, the young boy thought. Every coin counted, in their living situation.

Naoki glanced up to the clock with a wince; he didn’t have long before Shouichi would return home, so he hurried up the stairs to draw a bath and handle the laundry. Staying out of sight was the safest option for both him and Shouichi, he knew. The _adult_ was unstable on the best of days, and it was a dice toss on if he'd flee in terror from the sight of the eleven year old boy or if he'd assault him. Sometimes he'd simply be ignored entirely, treated like a phantom that haunted the place. Somehow those were the times that hurt the most.

Just as the boy settled into the bath, he heard a bizarre noise come from the laundry machine. Of course it would be right after he got in the bath, he grumbled. But it sounded like something was rattling about, which worried him that the washer would be damaged; they _definitely_ couldn't afford a replacement, not to mention the hassle that would be trying to actually get anyone to visit the house for any reason. He quickly leapt out of the bath in a panic and stopped the machine. Digging through the soggy clothes, the boy found an old 500 yen coin. It wasn't much, but it felt like a sign. 

He looked at the coin and dared to think that his luck might finally start turning around.

—

The next day, he decided to use the unexpected extra money to buy himself a treat for making it through the week without any major incidents. Sure he had been struck in the face by a rock, but that no longer felt _major_ to him. It hadn't impacted his day, so he wouldn’t let himself be bogged down by details. Especially not when fleeting moments of joy like a bag of candy were often what felt like the only thing keeping back his exhaustion and fear of what he thought lurked inside of him. Sometimes when he closed his eyes, he could still see his mother’s twisted and hateful face...

He shivered, pushing the memory of that madness away and stared at his shiny coin as he stepped into the convenience store. Rather than the usual disinterested teen behind the counter, an older woman met his gaze with a frown today. She probably knew who he was then, but that was hardly a surprise. The bigger question would be if that was a frown of pity or one of displeasure.

Under the watchful gaze of the clerk in the otherwise empty convenience store, Naoki quietly picked out a small bag of sour plum candies and a bag of chips. He would have preferred something sweet, but he’d made his peace with choosing options that he could stretch out over a longer period of time over a more sugary snack.

With a rare glint of happiness in his gray eye, he placed the snacks on the counter and offered up his 500 yen coin. The woman rang up his goods and took the coin. Almost immediately she frowned, and a hollow clap rang through the store as she slapped it onto the counter.

“Do you think I’m some kind of old fool?” She harshly asked.

“W-what’s... Wrong?” Naoki winced in response.

“Playing coy are we, _Takenaka?_ Everyone knows about your lot here. Trying to use counterfeit coins when you’re as wealthy as you are... Truly you have no shame,” She scowled.

“Counter... Huh?” The boy shrunk in on himself.

The world seemed to spin around him, the joy he had felt before twisted in on itself as confusion and fear loomed. And deeper still resentment and anger welled up slowly, like a beast uncoiling from a long slumber.

“Look, even assuming you’re not pulling my leg here with this; the coin isn’t valid money. This type's out of circulation. So take it and go home, and maybe consider thanking me for not calling the cops and having you arrested for fraud,” The cashier barked.

She flicked the coin across the counter at the bewildered child and cancelled the transaction, tugging the snacks away from him and shooing him out. Naoki stumbled away from her, clutching the coin tightly as he rushed out of the store and trying to comprehend the misunderstanding. He was confused, and he _wanted_ to get angry at how unfair the entire situation was, but he couldn’t. He thought of his mother's face, and of his sister's shouting, and cowered on himself just outside. The beast curled up once more, biding its time.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he thought he could hear a distant voice laughing at him.

—

7/25 | Tuesday | ???

I staggered backwards, catching myself on my bad leg and wincing. The pain jolted my focus back to reality, the haunting laugh echoing into the distance.

“Was that,” I muttered, “Senpai’s... Past?”

The other Phantom Thieves appeared similarly bemused, looking around slowly as they regained their grasp on reality. It was a good thing we dealt with all the shadows already. I gave Oracle a small pat on the back to get her attention, but perhaps my hand was too forceful as she leapt a full yard forward and covered her head with a yelp.

“Don’t hurt me!” She cried out. “...Wait, huh?”

“The hell's that...?” Skull mumbled.

“Everyone, are you alright?” Queen called out.

“I’m fine myself, but did everyone see the same vision?” Fox said, before looking around. “What is... This!?”

I immediately followed his gaze, and realized that the jail cells had all been opened. No, not opened. The bars had vanished entirely. And the Naokis that were inside with them. _Did we free him then? Is he awake!?_ I gasped, causing everyone to turn to look at me.

“Are you okay Violet? That must have been a pretty big shock to see,” Noir comfortingly said.

“No I’m- I mean yes I’m fine!” I took a deep breath. “But look! All the cells are empty. Did we do it?”

Skull seemed to be the first one to pick up on what I was talking about, as a wide grin spread across his face.

“Oooh! You think we woke him up with that!? Let’s hurry out and check!” He exclaimed.

“Wait, shouldn’t the Palace be collapsing if we succeeded? Not to mention we didn’t actually claim his treasure. Do you still have the coin, Violet?” Queen asked me.

“I,” I patted myself down, “Don’t, it seems like.”

“I thought so. Most likely that was a key, rather than the Treasure. Oracle said earlier that the buildings surrounding the central one were all powering something in it. Most likely we’ll have to repeat this process five more times before we can access the treasure and rescue Naoki,” She explained.

“Five more? Aw man, this is like those letters all over again,” Skull grumbled.

“I don’t think that’s quite the case,” Fox said. “While a shoddy impression of the real thing, the cognitive Panther we saw wasn’t fused with the guardian in the same manner. Perhaps there’s significance in that?”

“Maybe it means he’s still struggling with his heart?” Noir suggested. “Like he doesn’t want to believe that we would really think along those lines.”

“Isn’t it just cause we summon our personas to beat up shadows?” Skull said. “Since Palaces are uh... What the person’s thinking and stuff yeah?”

“You really do make providing good insight as stupidly as possible an art form, Skull,” Mona groused. 

Meanwhile Oracle had taken out her laptop and was vigorously typing on it. I tried peering over her shoulder, but that didn’t help in the slightest since I couldn't make out what any of the information on the screen meant. I cleared my throat to get her attention.

“Did you find something out?” I tried.

“I haven’t. But in that sense I have as well,” She cryptically mumbled.

“Wow, Violet actually managed to get her to respond when she’s in the middle of her super-hacking,” Skull remarked.

I ignored him for the moment. “What do you mean Oracle?”

She closed her laptop and stood up, shaking her head.

“I tried following the signal to the central building, but couldn’t find anything. There’s still the five other readings, but I’d have assumed that I’d be able to glimpse _something_ inside of the structure. Treasures have this kinda... Treasure-y aura about them, you know? That ‘last boss room’ feeling with the save point right in front of it,” She explained. “But there’s nothing there. Even worse, I thought these power sources would be holding an entrance to the central structure closed, but the entrance they’re guarding is _inside_ of the structure. I’m not sure how we’d even access it.”

I frowned.

“But there has to be some way into it,” I said. “Otherwise what’s the point of having these other locks and keys?”

“My best guess is there’s a basement or teleporter inside. But that’d be even more of a problem since I have no way to check how where it goes. I can’t get any readings past the gate. Might change if we bring down more of ‘em though,” Oracle suggested.

“Wait, there’s something that’s bothered me about all this,” Queen interrupted. “There’s only six of these buildings, plus presumably the one in the center with Naoki, which would leave two people unaccounted for if we assume there's one of these wardens per building. That would imply there's three extra facilities somewhere, if they're being divvied up evenly like that.”

“It’s dangerous to assume anything with the Metaverse, and while the layout is rigidly structure, this Palace has also been highly irregular,” Oracle replied. "Though that's more noticeable on my end."

Mona nodded at her and added, “I was thinking the same thing myself. There’s something very _odd_ about this entire place. It’s not distorted enough for everything going on in his mind. I get the feeling that whatever is past that gate is where the greatest amount of distortion is. There’s also the fact Naoki is unconscious. Normally a Palace ruler wouldn’t be affected like that, even if they had a Persona. We saw that with Maruki.”

“And if that’s where the distortion is greatest, that’s where the treasure will be, right?” I asked. “Could it be that his consciousness _is_ the treasure?”

“No, I don’t think that’s quite right. As painful as it is to think about, he would have had to have this Palace long before meeting any of us. Palaces need rulers, and to summon his persona he would have had to make a deal with his shadow. That’s what I did at least, and then the whole place started falling down,” Oracle said. "But then again his power was special... You'd probably know more about how that works than anyone else, Violet."

"Well, there was a long nosed man who talked about a contract," I mused.

“The reason your palace collapsed was because your shadow _was_ the treasure Oracle, so when you left with your persona ahead of all of us...” Mona started.

“Wait _that’s_ why the whole effing pyramid started coming down around us then!?” Skull shouted.

"Joker often spoke of a long nosed man too," Fox nodded along.

“At any rate, we’re still missing something here. His Palace reflects his state of mind, which is a prison,” Queen drew the conversation back on track. “It could be that it was created by an unresolved source of trauma. Did anyone else feel how afraid he was in that vision?”

“Yes, it was terrifying. It was as if he was doing everything he could to stop a fraying thread from snapping,” Noir sorrowfully said.

 _He couldn’t trust anyone, not even himself, with something. Something he was terrified of... Something that he felt implicit guilt... For..._ I gasped again.

“Do you all remember what happened in January?” I asked.

“How could we forget!? Sure it’s kinda hazy, but what Maruki did was effed up,” Skull frowned.

“I mean, with me,” I sadly mumbled.

“...When you fought against Naoki and Akechi?” Noir said.

“Tch, thinking about that still makes me mad. Can’t believe Naoki would just give him a free pass after Akechi used his psycho thingo on him,” Skull’s frown deepened.

“No, that wasn’t it. Akechi didn’t do anything. Unless he was lying,” I sighed. "But after this? I... Think he was being honest."

“I see,” Queen nodded. “Then how Naoki acted then was exactly what he had been afraid of.”

“And that would lead to him trying to bottle everything back up again,” Noir added sadly.

“I’ve been by his side this entire time and I didn’t even notice... How can I call myself his companion?” Mona lamented.

“Don’t beat yourself up about it, Mona. We’ve already agreed that all of us could have done more to reach out to him,” I stated. 

“There’s one more thing that’s been bothering me though, and I think it ties together with what we’ve discussed so far,” Mona picked himself back up with a serious frown. “I can’t sense the Treasure at all. Normally even if it were far away in a highly distorted area I’d still be able to smell it. In fact usually the greater the distortion around it the more obvious it’d be.”

“So the Treasure is being hidden behind some kind of super-barrier-” Skull started.

“If he has a Palace he has to have a Treasure. And it has to be a physical crystallization of the distortion in his mind, so it can’t be something vague like ‘fear’,” Queen interrupted.

“Everything about this is too irregular, I don’t like it,” Mona agreed.

“Do we truly need to take his Treasure?” Noir asked. “When we fought Doctor Maruki it felt more like we were trying to convince him than actually take away his Treasure. So even if we can’t find Naoki-kun’s Treasure, we can still maybe save him if he’s trapped somewhere in here!”

“That’s worth considering,” I said with audible relief. “For now though, we should head back into reality. Everyone's exhausted and we still need to make sure Naoki-senpai’s physical body is taken care of. Especially now that we know how little information we have about this place. I don’t think going around in circles about this will help our future planning.”

“Aye aye leader!” Skull cheered.

“A wise decision,” Queen agreed.

We retreated back the way we came, but it didn't _feel_ like retreat. If anything, everyone seemed to be in higher spirits than when we entered. Perhaps acting as the thieves was comforting for them.

—

“So uh, how do we actually get him outta here,” Ryuji mumbled.

After leaving the palace we immediately went back to the huge house, and currently we were all once more huddled into Naoki’s room. As we had expected, his condition hadn’t changed at all. At least he didn’t look any visibly worse.

“Isn’t this your time to shine!? You and Inari can ferry him out!” Futaba declared.

“Me!? Hell no! I can’t carry him,” Ryuji flatly declined.

“Ehhh then what are you good for?” Futaba groused.

“I mean I maybe could, but it’d either be hell on my bad leg or my back,” The blonde sighed.

“Upsy-daisy!” Haru said from near the bed. “Can you get the door for me?”

While Ryuji and Futaba argued, she had drawn back the covers and... Picked Naoki up in a fireman's carry. I blushed and looked away, conflicted feelings welling up in my heart. That should have been me carrying him, but I wasn’t nearly physically strong enough for that. My talents were flexibility, not brute force. But I still felt a twinge of uselessness and jealousy.

“Whoa! Haru’s got maxed out strength huh? Impressive stuff,” Futaba nodded approvingly.

“Ahaha, well... Chopping firewood does that for you I suppose,” She nervously chuckled in response.

I must have stared off into space for too long, as I felt a gentle hand squeeze my shoulder.

“Don’t worry Sumire. We won’t fail him, that much is certain,” Makoto said reassuringly.

“Huh? A-ah, yeah,” I nodded.

I couldn’t bring myself to tell her the petty thoughts that had been haunting me. _There’s no shame in what you feel, Sumire. They’re your friends, and they trust you. Trust them too._ I sighed and turned to look at her. I had gotten a little taller again, I realized; I was almost at eye-level with Makoto now.

“It wasn’t anything so noble,” I admitted. “I’ve been a real mess lately. I thought I had a good handle on my problems, but the instant Naoki wasn’t there...”

“Relying on others doesn’t make you weak,” Makoto said, gazing at the now-empty bed.

“It bothers me,” I mumbled. “That you and everyone else are so confident. That there’s an implicit web of trust between you all. Even with Naoki unconscious and in unknown condition you managed to keep your head on your shoulders while I lashed out.”

“That trust extends to you as well, Sumire,” she said.

“Does it? Because I was never a _part_ of the thieves. I disagreed with their actions on moral principles. The only time I stepped in to help was when someone was trying to _shatter the world as we knew it_ in his grief.” I snapped at her.

“You lacked the context before,” Makoto evenly replied.

“An excuse,” I darkly mumbled. “And a poor one, given the hypocrisy of my state of mind at the time.”

“Context matters,” she chided. “And moreover I heard that you offered to join after assisting Naoki in my sister’s Palace.”

“And I was refused, because Naoki was worried for my well-being,” I clenched my hands. “Instead of pushing the subject, I simply let it go.”

“Did you already forget why we unanimously voted for you to be our leader?” She asked.

I winced at the harshness in her tone.

“You reminded us all that the Phantom Thieves were formed to help those who were downtrodden and in trouble. You forced everyone to accept a truth we didn’t want to hear. That Naoki was in a situation he couldn’t fix on his own, that getting him acquitted was only a surface level measure we could pat ourselves on the back about. And you reminded us that as long as we have hope we can do something,” She continued.

I shook my head. “You’re putting me on a pedestal I haven’t earned.”

“Just like how you hadn’t earned unconditional friendship?” She retorted.

“Naoki was the only one I had really spent any time with,” I weakly replied.

“And he was trying to draw you out of that as well,” Makoto sighed. “The two of you are quite something, both seeing the other walling themselves off from support and trying to do something about it. I feel like _I_ should be the envious one here.”

Her lips quirked at a joke I didn’t understand.

“And yet once again I was too little, too late,” I looked down at the floor.

“We started this conversation off agreeing that we’d save him,” she flatly said.

“That wasn’t the point of what I wanted to say,” I frowned.

“And yet,” she looked directly at me, “here we are. I understand where you’re coming fro-”

“You really don’t,” I half-laughed. “I stabbed her in the throat, you know.”

We stood in awkward silence for a long moment, I couldn’t bring myself to meet Makoto’s gaze.

“I had a feeling, since she vanished,” she said quietly. “May I make an observation?”

“Sure, go ahead,” I shrugged.

“You made a tactically sound action, removing a threat. There’s no telling if that shadow was actually connected to the cognitive Panther, and it’s possible she could have simply brought it back given the similarities between us and personas. It’s also clearly affected you and is weighing on your conscience. But that wasn’t Ann. Just a monster tricking us with her appearance.”

“I suppose so,” I half-heartedly agreed.

I no longer had the desire to admit what I wanted to initially. How could I confess that I had been relieved? Or that I couldn’t tell if that laughter had come from Panther or myself. Perhaps she had noticed, or at least realized I had lost the spirit to argue. It would have been easier if she came at me with cold judgment, rather than empathy and kindness. How could I share something so horrible with someone treating me with such concern.

“Just remember what put Naoki in this situation to begin with. If you ever feel anything amiss, bring it up with us. Either as a group or individually. Even if you don’t realize it, we’re all your friends Sumire. Everyone cares as much about you as each other, so please don’t wall yourself off,” Makoto sincerely implored me.

In spite of her best efforts, my selfishness would remain my own private sin. For the time being, at least.

“Yeah. Thanks Makoto-senpai,” I nodded.

“Honestly, you’re the team leader now. You don’t need to treat me as your senior,” she sighed.

“Er, right then, Makoto,” I fumbled.

We both smiled at the slight awkwardness, a tenuous bond blooming.

I cleared my throat. “...Let’s head back to the van, they’re probably getting impatient.”

“Right,” She agreed. “But first, there’s a couple of things we should grab...”


	7. Sister

_“Daughters must bear the symbol of ‘child’ in their names. Both for their duty of continuing the lineage, and to remind them that we are the favored of the grove.”_ _  
_ -Excerpt from Takenaka Family manuscript

7/26 | Wednesday | Rain

It took us a frustrating amount of time to get Naoki-senpai admitted to the hospital the night before. The staff there tried to shoe us back out as soon as we mentioned his name, but if anything that only made the other members dig their heels in deeper. Ryuji almost had to be escorted out at one point due to his inability to keep his voice quieter than ‘capable of waking the dead’ while vocalizing his irritation; and when the nurse had casually implied the threat of legal action against us, the look on their faces when Makoto mentioned her sister’s name was something I don’t think I’d ever forget.

After making sure Naoki-senpai was seen to by the hospital staff, we all agreed to get dinner together. Mostly because Ryuji was complaining about starving; I hadn’t noticed myself until he mentioned it, but I had barely eaten anything either and was more than ready to command our team to table any discussions until we had eaten. As seemed to be the norm for them, everyone acted alarmed by the amount of Ramen I consumed, but I worked it off in the evening with as much of my usual workout routine as I could manage on the fly.

When Wednesday rolled over everyone was eager to immediately get back in there, in spite of how tired the three boys seemed, but I forced aside my niggling anxiety and asked the group to slow down. We could afford a bit of patience now that Naoki's physical condition was being seen to, and Makoto had raised a good point that I had acted recklessly when there were likely better options to be had. I spent breakfast reading over Naoki’s notes, and in the early afternoon had Morgana properly explain to me how to make and use lockpicks. It was an alarming revelation, finding out just how easy it was to break a standard lock. It's a good thing people tended to behave as moral actors.

While I had done that, everyone else spent their time investigating the town and 'gathering intel,' though it was fairly obvious that they were just doing a bit of sight-seeing. Until rain drove them back to the RV at least. Currently, everyone but Haru and Morgana were in the van while the two of them were out buying groceries and supplies. Ryuji splayed his arms across the diner table in the back, scattering my lockpicking tools and grumbling.

“Haahh, I’m so tired. Sleepin’ in that tent next to this guy was more exhausting than fighting Shadows,” Ryuji sighed.

“What’s the matter with us sharing a tent?” Yusuke retorted.

“Inari, you were mumbling in your sleep so loudly it was waking _me_ up in the camper,” Futaba grumbled.

“Ryuji be careful! You could cut yourself on some of these,” I said.

“Huh? Ah sorry, sorry. Wasn’t even payin’ attention,” he apologized.

I sighed and scooped the tools that slipped off the table, bundling them back up and storing them in the kit Morgana gave me. At least they were durable enough that a little bit of jostling wouldn’t break them.

“Do you think you have a handle on it now, Sumire?” Makoto asked.

“I’m not sure really, I haven’t seen what kind of locks were in the Palace. They might not even work off of conventional logic,” I sighed.

“Considering it’s based on Naoki’s cognition, I assume they adhere to a semblance of normalcy,” she said. "So far we haven't encountered too much in the way of distortions."

“Mona didn’t seem to have any trouble at least so I believe in you, leader!” Futaba smirked.

“Thanks. I’m sorry for delaying our entry today, though I suppose _when_ we go in doesn’t exactly matter. How’s everyone fee-” I began.

The sound of everyone’s phones buzzing at once cut me off, the peculiarity grabbing our collective attention.

“Ah, it appears as though Takamaki-san has finally gotten back to us,” Yusuke said.

 _Panther: Hey everyone good news!_ _  
_ _Panther: My final modeling gig for the end of August canceled._ _  
_ _Panther: I guess that’s not exactly good news, but it means I can fly back asap!_ _  
_ _Panther: How’s Naoki?_

_Oracle: He’s safe._

_Panther: Thank goodness._

_Oracle: Still unconscious, but in a hospital now._

_Panther: Oh..._

_Queen: We have an idea of what’s wrong though._

_Oracle: He’s got a Palace. Nav’s back too._

_Panther: What!?_

“Hey hey, shouldn’t we ask if she can help us out?” Ryuji said.

“She’s in America bonehead,” Futaba flatly said.

“I mean she just said she's comin’ back,” he retorted.

_What time do you think you’ll be arriving back in Japan? :Violet_

_Oracle: We made Sumire team leader btw._

_Panther: That’s what I was going to ask._ _  
_ _Panther: Should I get overnight tickets?_ _  
_ _Panther: Why Sumire? No offense, just curious._

 _Fox: Her acumen is second only to Naoki._ _  
_ _Fox: Perhaps even greater, if we account for it being her first foray._

_Skull: She’s a natural at it, just like Naonao._

_Queen: Not to mention it’s thanks to her that we were able to find a way to save Naoki._

“Y-you guys! You don’t have to keep repeating it...” I mumbled.

 _Oracle: Her charisma stat's off the charts._ _  
_ _Oracle: Isn’t that right, Sumire~?_

I curled in on myself in my seat, feeling Futaba smirk at me. _Isn’t this insubordination or something!?_

“What should we tell her, Sumire?” Makoto asked.

“Huh?” I looked up from my knees, fumbling with my phone.

 _Panther: I feel like I’m missing something..._ _  
_ _Panther: Anyway what should I do about the ticket?_ _  
_ _Panther: I’m kinda tempted to head back tonight._ _  
_ _Panther: If we’re not able to meet up right away though it feels like a bit of a waste._

_Queen: What do you think, leader?_

I let out a thoughtful hum. If we managed to clear another two of those jail blocks today, we’d have three left to handle on the surface plus the central structure. Assuming we could manage that much, it’d mean at least three days before we got into the underground. Naoki’s life wasn’t in immediate danger, but leaving him unconscious would still have an adverse effect on his body. And it’d affect the team’s mental health as well. On the other hand, if we rushed too quickly we could put ourselves in a dangerous position.

“Unless... Futaba,” I looked up.

“Yes!?” She jumped out of her seat practically.

“Would it be possible for you to keep track of multiple teams at once?” I asked.

“Hmm? Sounds like you’ve got a plan in mind. I could manage it if all the buildings have a similar layout buuut, there's a snag,” she said.

"What would that be?" I frowned.

"There's someone else in the Palace capable of altering the cognition on the fly, and it's raised the difficulty on my hacking to at least master class," she elaborated. "I still might be able to manage what you're suggesting, however."

It seemed as though she already had an idea what I had in mind.

 _The sooner you get back the better. :Violet_ _  
_ _If it were okay with Makoto we could even pick you up. :Violet_

_Panther: Eh!?  
Panther: I could just take the train, it’s fine. You guys are near a station right? _

_Queen: Shizuoka._ _  
_ _Queen: And it would likely be faster for you to take the Shinkansen here._

 _Panther: I’ll grab a plane ticket online and head to the airport asap then!_ _  
_ _Panther: I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sorta doing this just to see everyone sooner._

“Would you care to share what this plan you have is, Sumire?” Yusuke asked.

“Yeah…” I muttered, my mind still elsewhere.

I hadn’t messaged Ann to apologize yet. I had been particularly rude to her, and the situation in the Palace the other day had complicated my feelings on the matter. I definitely owed it to her to say something, even if she'd probably just blow it off like everyone else; perhaps the conversation would be better to have in person, but it felt like procrastinating. I bit my lip, before eventually letting out a sigh and sent Ann a brief message.

_When you get here, there’s something I want to talk about in person. :Sumire  
Nothing bad though! Just something on my mind. :Sumire _

That would have to do for the time being, to keep myself from feeling like I was running away. Maybe it was entirely in my head and she hadn’t felt slighted, but the words from the cognitive Panther were oil to the fire of concern. It was a fake, but even then there had to be something that caused the fake to act and think how she did. I let out a sigh and leaned back in the booth seating; if only Naoki were here to help... No, I had to carry my own weight now. I'd told him I'd stop running after all, and the promise that he'd hold me to that was as precious to me as everything that followed it.

“Hm? Is something wrong Sumire?” Makoto looked over at me.

I set my phone aside, properly addressing the group after clearing my throat. It looked like Ryuji had lost his focus again and was going through a weekly manga magazine.

“It’s a risky plan, but I’ve been thinking we could split into two person teams and clear the place out quicker,” I said.

“I see. We do have a lot of ground to cover,” Makoto nodded. “But given the strength and variety of Shadows we’ve seen already I’m not sure it’s the most sound plan. We have time to spare now.”

“Yes, I’m not suggesting it because of that, but... I noticed that the Shadows inside the jail block were oddly specific. I’m sure Futaba noticed it too, right?” I turned to our navigator.

“Huh? Uhhh... They all had their weaknesses covered. But it was pretty easy to predict since they were mostly fire based. That’s why you held Inari back after all right? Since he’d just melt under the pressure,” she responded.

“Sumire did come up with some inventive uses for my capabilities when we were fighting though,” he responded pensively. “Ah! I see. You think that the other blocks will be similarly segmented then.”

I nodded. “Yes, I think they’re sorted by who Naoki-senpai most associated them with, and given appropriate strengths. Didn’t you notice that none of them were _immune_ to ice? Not even the Shadows that were inherently weak to it.”

“Wait, if he covered for all the weaknesses then why’re they still weak to ice!?” Ryuji asked.

The blonde always struck me as being more perceptive than he seemed to give himself credit for, intentionally or otherwise. The fact he was still paying attention in spite of reading manga spoke volumes to that. Or maybe he was just looking at the magazine to try and appear aloof... He did have a habit of trying to act cool sometimes.

Makoto’s eyes lit up in understanding. “...Because of Panther.”

“Huh? What’s she got to do with any of this?” Ryuji blinked.

“I’m glad you came to the same conclusion, Makoto-senp...Makoto,” I cleared my throat. “It makes me more confident in my assumption.”

“So uh, gonna share it with us?” Ryuji grumbled.

“I see! It would line up with his subconscious interpretation of each of us,” Yusuke nodded along.

“Seriously!? Am I going crazy or somethin’?” Ryuji raised his voice.

“We all have our own individual strengths and weaknesses Ryuji,” Makoto explained. “Which extends to our Personas and combat capabilities in the Metaverse. What Sumire is suggesti-”

“Oh I get it! Everythin’ was weak to ice cause Panther is. So we can predict other stuff that way too,” Ryuji smiled.

Makoto let out a drawn out sigh. I could see her hand twitch as she resisted the urge to put it to her face.

“That’s my theory. If we can get a read on which buildings have which cognitive thieves in them, we could take almost all of them out in a single day. With Ann rejoining us, we’ll be able to form three teams of two. I can probably handle the last jailhouse on my own,” I suggested.

“Didn't I warn you about needless recklessness?” The advisor of our group disapproved. “However, might I suggest a slight alteration to the plan? We can arrange our active team based on which Warden we suspect is guarding each structure.”

“True, if we do that then we’ll be able to clear more ground before having to retire from the Palace for the day,” Yusuke chimed in.

Futaba met my gaze. “It’ll feel longer for us since we’ll be spending more time in there, but technically the exact same amount of time would pass in either case. Trust me, it was a nightmare figuring out how to set the timing on Naoki’s phone when we were tricking Akechi and the police.”

“Ah... Right. I’m sorry for not taking that into account,” I bowed my head in apology.

“Don’t sweat it Sumire. I mean, I didn’t even _think_ about the fact we’d spend ages in there and come out within minutes,” Ryuji said.

“Ryuji it took you an extra three minutes to figure out what everyone was saying,” Futaba drily said befure turning to me. “That’s why we have an advisor though! Plans aren’t a one man show.”

A knock at the camper’s door drew our attention from the discussion; Haru and Morgana had returned from shopping with a plastic umbrella and bag of groceries. I had given them a shopping list for meals for the next couple of days; everyone had decided my culinary skills were good enough for all of them and that my appetite and nutritional requirements meant I was the most logical option for our meal coordinator. Yusuke insisted that we added tatami iwashi to the list, however; he was insistent it would have been a crime to stay in Shizuoka and not have any. From there the conversation had spiraled out of control and everyone began clamoring to try sakura shrimp, black fish cakes, and fujinomiya yakisoba. Oden too, though it was the middle of summer... 

I was forced to concede that I would at least _try_ to cook what I could, but that our budget was small and my cooking wouldn’t compare to what we would have if we visited the actual restaurants famous for the dishes. Fortunately I didn’t have to remind the three excitable foodies that we weren’t on vacation and actually traveling around the prefecture to visit said locations was out of the question, as Haru and Makoto saw to that instead. Morgana had stayed out of the discussion, but his silent eyes told me all that needed to be said about what he wanted. _The sushi fiend._

“Come in,” Makoto said.

Morgana hopped up to the table without hesitation, shaking the lingering droplets from his fur and directly onto Ryuji. I did my best to avoid laughing at the sour face Ryuji gave the cat, and instead turned my attention to Haru and the monstrously large plastic bags she carried.

“Here it is! The promised prize,” Futaba rubbed her hands together with a greedy look on her face. 

“I was able to get most of what everyone asked for, but they didn’t have any shrimp unfortunately...” Haru bowed her head apologetically.

“No... The shrimp...” Yusuke lamented.

If he had room to, he probably would have dramatically dropped to his knees. I smiled as I pictured his overly theatrical performance in my mind.

“More importantly, let’s get those bags unloaded. While you two were out we came up with a plan, and I think it’s time for lunch,” I announced, moments before my stomach agreed.

The group burst into laughter, much to my dismay.

—

Before making too much progress in any single block, we did our best to scout out the remaining jailhouses we could. We realized then that we had made a rather terrible assumption before; only two of them actually seemed like actual buildings. One had been an Escher-esque nightmarescape that still gave me headaches to think about, another had been a massive indoors ocean that was far too large to fit inside a single building, and another had been just a regular apartment complex from the brief look we took. We didn't try to figure out why each seemed so varied with its distortion, but in retrospect... It made sense that they'd appear normal from the outside, only to hold something else entirely within. The realization wasn't a comfortable one, but at least we gained enough information for our navigator to figure out which Warden was presiding over which building.

Not without a lot of complaining about the rival hacker fighting her for control, as she put it. Though none of us had seen any trace of her, we all agreed that it was most likely the cognitive Oracle who was behind the setbacks and hindrances.

The final structure we entered was via the roof, as every jailhouse had a superfluous ventilation system installed. Convenient as it was for getting in and out, it was quite bizarre to poke my head out of a vent and see a sprawling sea beneath me. Thankfully this time all I saw was a massive warehouse full of cages beneath me, but it was still quite the distance down. No multiple floors to this building, and the inside seemed bigger than the outside. It was at least a thirty foot drop down to the ground, which was swarming with Shadows patrolling makeshift corridors formed by the placement of the cages. It'd be difficult to get back up, but thankfully I could at least look around to see if there was another entrance. And possibly to try and sight the Warden as well, considering I had a decent view of the entire building.

“Violet? Is something the matter?” Noir whispered just behind me.

By process of elimination, the only people who could remain likely wardens here would be Haru, Akechi, or myself. We couldn’t do much about Akechi or myself in terms of matchups, and likely would be a disaster moreover considering how Akechi... Was, but both Noir and Queen would be invaluable against the fake Haru; so the both of them were just behind me in the duct.

They obviously also couldn’t see past me at the 30 foot dilemma facing me.

“We’ll have to double back and find another way in, this one’s too high up,” I muttered back to her.

“Too high up?” Queen asked from behind her.

“This one’s... More like a warehouse,” I replied.

"As long as we won't have to walk upside down," she sighed.

I poked my head back out to search for another possible entry point, and noticed that I didn't have _quite_ a perfectly unobstructed view of the entire place. The cages that filled the warehouse were piled on top of each other, and many had shapes moving within them that I couldn't see through or quite make out from this angle; I still spent a long moment trying to spot the warden.

“Should we back out? Mona’s waiting to signal the others,” Queen suggested.

He was the fourth in our group, and the furthest back as he was the runner to inform the others to follow after we secured the entrance and also just small enough to squeeze around us if he needed to be at my side. It was also for the best that we kept him and Skull split up, though that was a beast we’d have to tackle for the jailhouses with their Wardens... Suppressing a sigh over that particular mixture of vinegar and oil, I came up with my decision.

“Let’s head back to the roof for now, I’ll talk with Oracle. This could be a good vantage point for her to overlook the entire facility,” I said.

“Right, that’s a good idea,” Queen said.

It was a tricky bit of work crawling out backwards, and took a little longer than I would have liked considering how stuffy and cramped the vents were. By the time I had straightened myself back out, the team’s expectant gazes were upon me save for Oracle; she was still working away on her laptop. Skull broke the silence.

“What’s the deal leader? Too many Shadows watching our entrance or somethin’?” He asked.

“Not quite, we ran into an issue of there being too much open space,” I said wryly.

“Is that not a good thing?” Fox asked.

“The space being downward rather than outward. It’s over a twenty foot drop to the bottom, and we’d make a fair bit of noise dropping into the middle of a warehouse,” I elaborated.

“What’s the plan then, leader?” Mona asked.

“I’d like you and Oracle to hide out in the vent to overlook the entire place. Keep her safeguarded while she does her thing. Noir and Queen will be with me, considering what we’re expecting in here. Skull and Fox will follow behind us as reserves just in case. Ideally Oracle will find us another access point that won’t risk snapping our legs,” I said.

I looked around at the group, looking for any doubt in their expressions beneath the masks. Nobody seemed to disagree with what I had laid out, at least. I choked down a sigh of relief that I hadn't made a blunder yet; at least, not a knowing one. Even just a couple days of this had managed to instill deep respect for what Naoki-senpai made seem so simple. As I wondered to myself, Oracle found us another way in. A matching vent near the bottom of the facility, same as during our first foray; however, this one wasn't already kicked open. I winced at the amount of noise Skull made tearing it off the wall, but we remained undetected as our forward team crawled through the vent. Oracle chimed in while I was in the middle of forcing the vent off of the wall; her sudden voice in my head always gave me a moment's pause.

“Be careful you guys, I’m getting a real... Bizarre reading from in here,” she said.

“What kind of reading? A Shadow?” Queen asked behind me.

“I’m not sure. Whatever it is, it’s constantly fluctuating. Just stay on your guard,” Oracle warned.

“Got it, thanks for the heads up,” I replied.

We came out of our entry vent right behind an empty cage, the artificially formed corridor thankfully devoid of security. It was also unpleasantly narrow, and the three of us had to sidle along. We had plenty of time to look at the inhabitants of the cages here, and from an angle where I could actually see inside them. A part of myself was ashamed at my curiosity, but I indulged regardless. Many of them were empty, but the ones that were occupied differed from the cells in Panther's ward. Rather than encasing different Naokis, they were vignettes of his life. Some of them even featured other people, as I saw one of him brewing a cup of coffee while Morgana expectantly watched. Another had a Naoki who was crafting tools behind his desk, while the student behind him did his best to ignore what was going on. A third was him staring at a chessboard, though his opponent was missing. Each was a small crystallized moment that scratched an itch for liminal spaces.

After a moment and looking around some more, I realized all of these moments were from the previous year. and as I gazed around at more I felt overwhelmed by the peaceful feeling of these moments. Some were more active than others, and briefly I wondered if there were any involving me when I felt something bump into my shoulder.

“Violet, you okay?” Queen stared at me.

“Ah, yeah. Sorry. Something about all this just...” I trailed off, unsure of the wording.

She chuckled quietly.

“You really do have everyone else beat when it comes to passion,” she smirked.

“Eh!?” I yelped.

And then promptly covered my mouth as I remembered where we were, a concerned Noir peering over Queen’s shoulder at me. I waved dismissively, shaking away the embarrassment before continuing our cramped journey. Thankfully the alleyway opened up into a larger intersection, though the cages weren’t exactly neatly arranged and the distance still ended up being fairly narrow in places. Getting caught without room to maneuver would be rough; but if we could lure Shadows in, we could force them into fighting us one at a time. 

“Hmm? That's not a _terrible_ idea. But they hardly dodge at all to begin with, it’d be easier to just go for the kill immediately,” an unfamiliar voice spoke.

The hairs on the back of my neck rose and I quickly shifted my posture, my hand finding the hilt of my sword. I felt Queen and Noir tense up behind me as well, though I dedicated my full attention to the voice’s source. A woman behind the bars of a cage, the cell otherwise completely empty, stared straight back at me with a placid smile. Everything about her was soaked in pitch blackness save for the sickly pale color of her skin. From her blazer, to her skirt, to her stockings and gloves; her raven-black hair, cut and maintained immaculately like a princess, reminded me of a frowning girl I had seen before. The only thing about her that was any different was the shimmering golden eyes.

More importantly she was staring directly at us, and had addressed me directly.

“Oracle, can you hear me?” I tried.

“...olet... some... ...ong. Ca... et thr…” 

Something, or _someone_ —I eyed the woman in front of me suspiciously—was causing interference. I’m not sure how exactly it worked, but Futaba wasn’t so far away that she shouldn’t have been able to maintain contact with us. I turned my gaze upwards to look for her, but the piles of cages loomed too tall for me to make out the vent leading up to the roof.

“She definitely wouldn’t allow _cheating_ like that,” The mystery prisoner tittered.

Noir walked up beside me and gave me an inquiring glance, and I nodded in approval. I kept my eyes peeled for Shadows just in case this was a trap.

“May I ask who you are?” Noir asked.

“I... Hm,” The prisoner paused. “That’s a bit of a complicated question now isn’t it, Beauty Thief? Ah, but it wouldn’t do to simply throw it back in your face. For the time being you may address me as Takenaka Kumiko.”

I felt Haru shift in embarrassment besides me, but I was drawn in by Kumiko's intense gaze on me. Her eyes met mine as I finally turned to measure her up, and a shiver ran up my spine as her smile thinned to a knife-like edge.

“What do you want?” I asked, perhaps a bit too standoffish.

“How rude, I haven’t asked for anything yet,” her threatening smile vanished in a heartbeat, replaced by a heart-tugging moue. “Here I was even going to offer some advice!”

“Do you think she’s related to the key of this building, Violet?” Queen ignored Kumiko, instead glancing towards me.

“Possibly, but much more likely she’s the bizarre signal Oracle was picking up on,” I replied.

“...veryo... ut of... way!”

"What'd she say?" I looked at the other two.

Queen frowned. “We should find a better spot for contacting Oracle.”

“I believe she just told you all to get out of the way,” Kumiko drily remarked.

In the next moment, the three of us were thrown off of our feet by an explosion. My ears rang both from the deafening blast and from the rattle of cages as they were flung away. As soon as my vision returned, I scrambled back up to my feet and drew my sword. Where we had been standing before was a smoking wreck, and a large clearing had been made as the cages were scattered by the blast. I didn’t see any sign of Kumiko in the strewn about cages. I looked around for signs of our attacker, or any Shadows drawn to the noise, or my companions.

“Noir! Queen! Are you okay!? Oracle can you hear me?” I called out.

“We’re okay, are you hurt?” Queen coughed, peeking around from an overturned cage.

“No I’m oka-”

“Halt right there, criminal thieves!” A familiar voice proclaimed from above.

Instead of listening I ducked behind a cage myself, making eye contact with Queen. Noir was right beside her with a mortified look on her face. Peering around the corner, I looked up towards a conspicuously tall mountain of cages; at the top of them stood the warden, tapping a menacing looking axe against her shoulder. 

“I said halt! Villainous fakes need only to subject themselves to judgment before the great Beauty Thief,” she loudly decreed.

Noir—the real one—whimpered something to herself too quiet for me to hear. I didn’t get a chance to ask for elaboration as a winged templar floated up to stand beside the self-proclaimed Beauty Thief, holding a rifle in one hand and a missile launcher in the other. _That’ll be an issue. And of course I didn't account for missiles and bullets. Is it always like this senpai?_ As I slipped into mental complaints, the angel of destruction haphazardly fired a volley of missiles in our direction.

Even as I felt my gut plummet, every missile detonated harmlessly in mid-air. I noticed after the smoke began to clear that it wasn't just a premature detonation; they had all impacted against transparent glass. Floating overhead was something between an alien spacecraft and a pyramid. I let out a sigh of relief as Oracle’s voice reached us.

“Violet! I’m glad the three of you are alright. The instant our signal cut off, the Shadows started retreating and I got worried,” she said.

“Interlopers will not be tolerated!” The Beauty Thief arrogantly shouted as the angel aimed it’s rifle up at Oracle’s Persona.

“I do _not_ talk like that!” Noir retorted, a pair of detonations punctuating her remark.

The grenades she shot exploded the cage directly beneath her doppelganger’s feet, forcing the angel to catch its mistress instead of firing. Instead of letting it gracefully lower I called forth Yatagarasu to continue the assault on them. Half-way to meeting them the three-legged bird picked up in speed and turned to raw lightning, passing right through them as electricity arced off of the armored angel to the nearby cages. It seemed effective enough as the pair plummeted; the Beauty Thief landed gracelessly on her side and the angel clattered down on top of her.

“Nice thinking Violet,” Queen praised.

“Go get Fox and Skull, we’ll need their help,” I ordered.

“No good, they’re held down outside along with Mona. Some of the Shadows fleeing the building ran into them,” Oracle said.

The pair were already recovering, the angel rustling its feathers as it twisted its helmeted gaze upwards to scan for my Persona. I noticed it wasn’t flying back up, and that it was trembling slightly.

I clicked my tongue in irritation. “Queen, any suggestions?”

“I can try blowing it up,” Her lips quirked. “Ideally without you standing on top this time. Have your Persona hit it with another jolt.”

I nodded, and a minor exertion of will sent the three legged bird hurtling back down towards the heavily armed knight. It responded by raising its rifle and firing wildly at the bird, which nimbly dodged and weaved. The shots it _didn’t_ avoid passed right through, as Oracle had been more than ready and created an illusory copy while the true Yatagarasu hid in its shadow. It once more struck like a lightning bolt, though the Beauty Thief managed to duck out of the way before Queen rattled the entire structure with the force of an atomic blast. Her Persona... Or Shadow-based imitation of one at least, hadn't been so fortunate. 

“Did we do it?” I hesitantly asked.

“Stay on your guard, the... Beauty Thief is still around,” Queen warned.

“Why would Naoki-kun still think of me by that name...” Noir lamented.

“Well, it does seem in line with his brand of humor,” I suggested.

While we were making light of the situation the smoke and dust cleared; all that was left of the angel was smoldering feathers, but the Beauty Thief was still standing there unfazed and unamused.

“Villains,” She chastised, "always cracking jokes and monologuing just before your downfall."

“Do we truly have to fight?” Noir stepped forward. “If you’re me, then surely you understand how badly I want to save him.”

“Oh but we _have_. And now you seek to undo that. We've made the world a safer place, my fake,” The Beauty Thief agreed without hesitation. "There is no need to hide the restless hatred and spite in your heart."

“Wh-what...?” Noir took half a step back, looking wounded. “I don’t know what yo-”

“ _Liar_ ,” The cognition snapped. “He hurt you, right? You have all the reason in the world to be angry at him.”

“Not only is that not his fault, but he is allowed to be his own person and make his own decisions. Just as he showed me I could do the same,” she gripped her axe tightly, staring down the Warden.

“And what about your father? Naoki stole him away twice, surely _imprisonment_ is a suitable punishment,” The warden laughed. “No matter, your responses change nothing. Now perish, and give our convict some peace of mind.”

She thrust her hand forward dramatically, and the subtly gathering feathers glowed and fused back together; within moments the Shadow had fully reformed and was bearing down on us again, firing another barrage at the exposed Noir.

“What kind of godmodding is this!? Stupid cheating Shadow,” Oracle complained.

The blast caught Noir directly in the chest, throwing her back against an empty cage where she crumpled to the floor. Queen rushed over to check on her, and I finally released the coiled up tension in my body. I dashed forward and slid under the Beauty Thief’s laborious swing, catching the angelic Shadow in the ankle with my sword. I didn't find much purchase through the plate and it kicked back at me with its other leg, but I was already leaping back up over it and slicing at its wings; a severed wing flopped to the ground with a clean twist of the wrist in the same moment that I landed back in front of the pair.

No sooner than I put my guard back up did tendrils of light stitch the wing back together.

“So soft-hearted,” The derisive voice of Kumiko laughed behind us.

A different cage from before—that had been empty a moment ago—now held the dark haired woman, her knife-like smile somehow more threatening than the heavily armed Shadow.

“Would you like to make a deal?” She asked.

“Pass.”

“Pass.”

“P-pass.”

The three of us voiced our opinion simultaneously and without any need for discussion, as Noir coughed and winced in pain. I had an idea what we had to do, and this Kumiko had given a pretty huge hint, even if it was gruesome business. _You’re just killing his doubts, that’s all_. I mentally steeled myself, exhaling slowly to calm my nerves. I swapped masks, summoning the spear wielding Cu Chulainn, and we struck as one.

A twirl of the spear sent the angel’s rifle spinning away, and a second flourish launched me into the air to narrowly avoid the tree-felling swing of The Beauty Thief. The angel flew up after me and the rifle, though I pivoted in the air to kick it away from the angel's outstretched hand. It opted to grab my wrist instead, aiming the missile launcher directly at me point-blank. Maybe I should have expected that.

Down below the fake Noir followed the momentum through with her swing, spinning around for a second pass aimed at my Persona this time. He nimbly avoided by taking half a step back, feinting high and right to catch her pivoting leg with the other end of his spear. _At least one of us was doing well_ , I grumbled privately. I willed him to press the advantage, going for a stab into the prone Beauty Thief only for her to nimbly roll away and draw her grenade launcher in a single smooth motion. The shell struck directly into my warrior’s center of mass.

I winced as I felt him withdraw back into me, the blast disorienting me even as we tumbled through the sky. Wait, why hadn’t I been shot yet? I threw my gaze around, quickly spotting Lucy with its armaments exposed and smoking. _Ah._ Rather than let the chance go to waste, I wrapped my legs around the arm still gripping his weapon and twisted myself around the angel to point the launcher away from me. Its grip on my arm loosened just enough for me to clip its wings again, and moments later I was riding a plummeting angel-shaped improvised missile back towards the Beauty Thief.

Unfortunately for me, she was ready for me and was winding a baseball swing up with her axe. Fortunately for me, the report of a revolver briefly drew her attention even if the bullets that uselessly pinged off her axe and body didn’t. It was enough that I was able to leap back from the angel, her delayed cleave only barely scraping across my stomach rather than splitting me in half. The force of her blow still floored me and left me trembling, and as she stepped over the already regenerating angel she raised her axe high for an executioner’s swing.

“Let justice be served!” She called out...

Immediately before a brass knuckled fist struck her square in the jaw, the owner of which quickly pivoted around her back to follow through with a strike between her shoulder blades. As soon as the Warden fell to the ground in front of me, an axe not her own but remarkably similar came down on her neck. I winced and looked away from the gruesome sight, as both of the older thieves let out relieved noises.

“Sorry, but your justice is incompatible with our reality!” The true Beauty Thief addressed her imposter’s corpse.

“That was a little close for comfort,” Queen said. “Let me take care of that for you Violet.”

She gestured to my stomach, and when I looked down I winced at the sight. The adrenaline must have kept it from hurting, but the gash across my torso looked frighteningly bloody. I nodded and she wasted no time in healing and wiping it down, to my relief. Queen looked somewhat spent afterward, which made sense considering she had to pick Noir back up from a missile to the chest before as well. _Probably will have to let her hang back and rest for today_.

The sound of clapping drew our attention to an overturned cage, as a sideways Takenaka Kumiko applauded our efforts while defying gravity.

“That was a wonderful bit of savagery. I’m impressed you didn’t even need to take my suggestion,” she praised. “You’re all much more bloodthirsty than I initially gave you credit for.”

To my horror, she sounded _approving_.

“I suppose that goes to show the fake was fairly accurate to the true Beauty Thief after all,” she added.

But wouldn’t that mean Haru actually felt... I turned to look at her, not daring to finish the thought. She was currently frowning down at the space where her fake had been, her axe still embedded in the concrete floor. The angel had vanished as well, and Queen was currently flipping through the book that was left behind.

“This appears to be our key, unless I'm mistaken.” She turned to me after a moment, offering it to me.

Briefly I thought it was a duplicate of the handwritten guide Morgana had given me before; but after briefly glancing through it and seeing the doodles and diary-like entries, I realized it was a private journal of Naoki's. It was surprisingly in depth too... But we had more important things to do than pour over his private writings. I looked back up and turned to Noir, gesturing to the place where her copy had been.

“Hey, Noir? Do the thieves do this... Often, with cognitive beings?” I hesitantly asked, netting another titter from Kumiko.

“Sometimes, depending on the circumstance. But it feels odd when they seem so visually similar doesn’t it?” She smiled tenderly at me.

“Y-yeah,” I mumbled. “So about that Beauty Thief thing...”

“It’s nothing!” She raised her voice in embarrassment.

“Ahem. If I may have your attention for a moment, thieves?” Kumiko drawled from behind.

The three of us turned to give her, now in a right-side up cage again, our attention.

“Yes?” Queen sighed.

“My offer to make a deal still stands,” she smiled innocently.

“What’s your offer?” Noir cautiously asked.

“You’re all here to save Naokkun right? I’ll tell you right now you may be on the correct track, but you’ll be stuck spinning your wheels as soon as you finish off these second rate imposters,” she said.

“Care to elaborate?” I said.

“As your eyes in the skies has probably already surmised, every one of you has a mirrored self. Herself included,” Her eyes wandered up to the roof of her current cage. “And the former shut-in is as good at shutting things out as one might expect. The central structure will remain closed to the Phantom Thieves so long as her attention remains centered on your group and your hacker,”

“And you’re suggesting that you could make us an entrance,” Queen finished for her.

“I suppose I could do _that_ too, but I was speaking of more direct solutions,” the cognitive Kumiko mildly replied.

“You’re saying you could take care of the Palace’s Oracle,” I clarified.

“She’s the overseer in a sense. Nothing escapes her notice,” she drolly said. “But living panopticon she may be, she still only has one set of eyes.”

Our own Oracle landed softly behind us, walking up and crossing her arms.

“And how would you get to her?” She asked.

“A magician never reveals their trick,” Kumiko unhelpfully replied.

“Why can’t you escape the cage on your own? And why should we trust you?” Noir tapped her axe against her shoulder suggestively.

I took Futaba aside and whispered to her. “Are the others okay? Also about this...”

I gestured subtly towards the cage.

“I told ‘em to look for the right cell with a responsive Naoki. Figured that you’d wanna split everyone up to look for it anyway, the place is pretty disorganized. Though I’m not sure if there’d be any reaction without the key,” she mumbled. “Maybe they’ll get a message like ‘gather your party before you proceed’ or whatever though. And yeah, this is definitely that weird signal. She’s kinda like a Shadow, but... Not. Dunno how to explain better, sorries.”

I nodded appreciatively at her before walking back over to the caged woman and waved the other two away.

“...assure you I have no reason to betray any of you. I’m a cognitive being born from Naokkun’s memories after all. Which means you should all know how much I care about him!” She reproachfully said. “Hey don’t just walk away! You’re all quite the rude thieves. I thought you were supposed to be honorable gentleman thie-”

“We are, and yet the wardens here seem to have a fundamental disagreement with our methods and actions,” I cut in. “If you really are as you say, you should know that he never actually...”

Her lips quirked. “Yes, he never actually _told_ any of you about me. And yet you still don’t trust me? It _would_ be a lie to claim I do everything for his sake, but there is nothing but love in my heart for my dearly deranged little brother.”

I felt my expression darken.

“For someone begging for their freedom, you’re doing a very poor job,” I carefully said.

“We can’t help what we are,” she dismissively rebuked. “And, as I said, I’m a product of my precious Naokkun’s thoughts.”

“We don’t need your help to deal with not-Oracle.” I turned to address the others, “We’ll split into two teams again, one to search for her signal and the other will act as normal.”

“And what will you do about the central structure?” Kumiko curiously asked.

“We’ll make our own way in,” I stiffly said.

“You will fail.”

“How do you know that?” I grimaced at her.

“The same reason I know you still have _that_ photo rolled up in your pocket.” Her golden eyes shimmered in the dim warehouse lighting, danger plastered all over her expression.

“Why do you want to be freed so badly?” I asked with mounting.

“Why does anyone? Shouldn’t being locked up be reason enough to want the opposite? I was created wanting to escape from my cage, and thus I try to strike a bargain with you,” she dramatically explained.

“In that case, we’ll come back for you if we can’t force our way in. Oracle, have the others found the right cage yet?” I turned to walk away, mastering my anger at the arrogant thing.

“Ah wait wait! If you free this block, then my chance at freedom will slip away. And so too will any chance you have to save Naokkun. Honestly, I thought thieves were supposed to _enjoy_ making shady deals,” she pouted.

I hesitated.

“If you’re lying,” I spun back around and leaned into the bars, malevolent words escaping my mouth in a whisper, “and you mean any harm to Naoki-senpai, I swear I will figure out how to inflict _genuine pain_ onto a cognitive being. I’ll make you experience pure agony before snuffing you out.”

Her grin turned to a visage of pure maddened joy. “Aah~ What a fantastic sister-in-law you’d be... I accept those terms, Yoshizawa Sumire.”


	8. Joker

Takenaka Naoki had been given an incredible opportunity. He still didn’t quite understand what it meant—or what was up with the old man in his dreams—but after being put on probation and sent off to Shibuya for doing what he considered the right thing he had finally tapped into the part of himself he had always feared. The maddening obsession that constantly told him that things could be _better_ than they were. But he was still hesitant about harnessing that power. It was a beast in chains, but still a beast. Had it been the same for both his sister and his mother before him? The same words, telling them that _they_ could do better? Or was it something worse they heard that drove them to act. He wasn't sure, but his back had been put to the wall by a real scumbag.

The gym teacher had made him feel right at home, ironically, by spreading rumors about Naoki before he arrived. He had long ago learned to shut out and ignore the stares and whispers, and the students here were practically _toothless_ compared to back home. Rumors of why he was put on probation were hardly comparable to being blamed for his birth and being a _pox,_ not to mention they didn't have the backbone to physically assault him or vandalize his desk or locker. Even if they wanted to, they simply lacked the conviction and assurance the town would be on their side.

No, the actual problem was the dilemma he had gotten himself into. Listen to his impassioned other self and risk hurting—or worse, murdering—someone, who by all rights deserved whatever he got, in the process of bringing him to justice; or let it go and suffer the consequences, which would likely mean expulsion and imprisonment. Just another black mark on his family's history. It should have been an easy choice, but the image of his sister and mother before him, the twisted expression of his father, the jeers of the town that had seeped into his bones, they weighed on him heavier than he could admit.

What if he had already slipped into madness and simply not realized it? Maybe Shouichi sent him away for a good reason. But then, what he was doing was objectively _good_. He saved a woman's life potentially, that couldn't have been _wrong._ He’d still talk to the others, but Naoki had already decided that he’d take Kamoshida’s heart. Not for himself, but for the people who met and seemed to trust him, and the other victims of that piece of trash. When he thought about them, it felt like a small price to pay to accept the darker part of himself that wanted to _hurt_ the asshole.

Lost in his thoughts, he almost didn't even notice when he bumped shoulders with an underclassman. He briefly noted the red ribbon as she rapidly bowed in apology. He had seen her before, but didn’t know much other than that her name was Yoshizawa.

“My apologies... Senpai,” she earnestly said after glancing at his second year pin.

“Ah. It was my mistake for being inattentive,” he hastily dismissed.

“...You were the transfer student, right? The one everyone’s talking about...” she muttered worriedly.

“That's me. Kawakami-sensei mentioned you were in an honors program here?” He asked, and added after a beat, “It’d be best if you didn’t associate with me too much.”

Naoki looked around at the students already whispering in their cliques and averting their gaze when his eyes met theirs. Perhaps it was already too late for that. He let out a little sigh at the sight.

“Hm? W-wait, the rumors aren't... Are those... Real?” Yoshizawa’s lips quirked.

Naoki frowned, unsure what to make of her. It was oddly refreshing any time someone didn't seem actively afraid of him, and she didn't seem particularly confrontational either, but she was... Stiff. He was probably making her uncomfortable at the very least, even if she wasn’t about to run in terror. Better that he disengage before anything could come of it.

“No, but it’s never stopped anyone before,” he said roughly. He hadn't meant to speak quite so honestly, it felt like a mistake.

He bit his lip afterward, but he could see the sadness in her face even as he forced himself to start walking by. She started to say something to him, but he dove between parting students before he could hear it. All he heard were the students already starting to weave rumors about him getting turned down. Better that than dragging her down too... 

—

With three Palaces bested the Phantom Thieves had grown into something greater. Ryuji took a little too much pride in the spotlight, but Naoki was certain he could make the other boy see the appeal of working in the shadows to right wrongs. Moss indeed... Staying quiet and out of the way were Naoki's best traits, so perhaps it shouldn't have been too surprising just how easy carrying out their vigilante justice came to him. But they had hit a wrench in the works. A foe they couldn't fight, one they probably _shouldn't_ fight, had appeared. And a mysterious interlocutor contacted him with a horrifying revelation. That Sojiro had a daughter, and that she had a palace. Like a cat being stroked the wrong way, Naoki couldn’t quite place why the revelation bothered him so much. They had already begun scouting out the pyramid, and it was plainly obvious to all of them that she wasn't a _bad_ person. But it caused an itch in his mind that he couldn't decide if he should scratch or not...

He let out a quiet sigh, gazing at the time on his phone for lack of anything else to occupy his mind with. None of the other members would be awake at this hour, after the exhausting slog through the Metaverse. To think he almost let them be _actually_ crushed by a rolling boulder. It would have been a hilarious anecdote if it weren't so horrifyingly potentially lethal.

“What’s the matter, Naoki?” Morgana asked, lifting his head up groggily.

“Did I wake you up? Sorry,” he quietly replied.

“This is what you get for making coffee right before bed,” the cat grumbled.

“It’d be a waste not to drink it.” 

“Then don’t make coffee at night!”

“It’s fun though.”

“ _That’s_ your rebuttal? Not that Sojiro is busy running the cafe during the day!?” The cat sighed in exasperation.

“Thanks for the assist, Morgana,” Naoki said.

“I didn’t,” the cat began, “I mean you shouldn’t- That’s not what... We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

“The rest should help you formulate a proper argument,” the trickster helpfully agreed.

The cat let out a defeated grumble after failing to come up with a proper rebuttal, rolling to the side of the bed to allow the boy to sit up. Morgana gave Naoki a stern look, who responded with a shake of his head.

“I know. Just using the bathroom. Feel free to use the pillow,” he casually replied.

"You'll just drag me off of it as soon as you get back though."

Morgana's complaining didn't stop him from curling up in the warmth left behind on the cot however, as Naoki escaped down the stairs and acted as though he were going into the bathroom. After opening and closing the door, he silently slipped into his shoes and sneaked out into the muggy summer night. The mental itch was far worse than the guilt in deceiving his teammate and companion, and no matter what he couldn't let Morgana find out about what he was going to look into. Just in case. 

Naoki stayed under the overhang and pulled out his phone, his heart rate spiking as he looked at the Metanav and asked the evening air.

“Is what we’re doing just?”

Akechi had raised several good points about the thieves, and Naoki suspected that the boy _knew_ who he was; but for whatever reason, Akechi was keeping quiet about it. Perhaps the detective had grown just as attached as he had; Naoki privately admitted to himself that he thought of his rival as a mentor of sorts, embarrassingly similar to an older brother to replace the family he had lost. Or at least, what he thought having an older brother might feel like. But the detective prince had asked about his justice, and Naoki didn’t have an answer that satisfied himself. He wanted to make the world better, but it was a selfish perspective of what better was. 

Was it entirely just for himself? Was it to get back at the society that had stepped on him and his friends? Was it really to help people? Was he actually helping people? Nothing they had accomplished so far would have been possible without the app staring back at him in the face, the long-nosed man’s laugh reverberating in his mind. ‘Rehabilitation,’ he had called it, but what did that _mean?_ It felt more like he was making society dance to his whims, rather than quietly slipping back into the cogs.

Naoki pressed the icon and brought up the Nav, taking a deep breath. Two things, he had to confirm for himself.

“Takenaka Kumiko.”

“Result found,” the Nav obediently stated.

Naoki grimaced. That should have been obvious considering the state she left in, but it meant his sister was still alive. Probably. He had no idea where she was or what condition she’d be in currently; and while it pained him to admit it, he was more than a little afraid of ever meeting her again. What would she even say to him? What could he say to her? He cleared the entry and shook away the thoughts, steeling himself once more.

“Takenaka... Naoki,” he whispered.

“Result found.”

His heart froze in his chest, as the night around him grew deeper and darker. An ugly laugh echoed in the cramped alley, one he didn’t even properly recognize as his own.

The leader of the Phantom Thieves had a distorted desire too? What a joke. The morals of everything they were doing had instantly been thrown into doubt the second he decided to open his mouth. Rehabilitation? Yes, perhaps he had simply grown _too accustomed_ to the freedom from his hometown. He had forgotten that his was a family of monsters. Perhaps it would be best to disband the thieves, and for him to face due punishment for his actions. Perhaps... Perhaps...

“Naoki...? Why are you outside,” a wary meow came.

His attention snapped back to reality, like a sheet of ice had crashed into his back, and he spun around while clearing the Nav and hid his phone.

“Morgana. Sorry, I needed some air.”

“I keep telling you we need to dust your room more... I know she’s your teacher but you could always call Kawakami for help,” Morgana chastised.

“Y...yeah.” He nodded.

He couldn’t do it, he couldn’t tell the cat—no, his companion—who had placed all his faith in Naoki. Looking eye to eye with Morgana, he felt embarrassed at the shame welling up inside of him. Wasn't he trying to help his friend get his body back? That much... That much at least couldn't be tainted by desire.

“Let’s go back to bed, we’ve got a busy day of summer tomorrow,” Naoki said.

“Of course, leader.”

—

They screwed up. They screwed up real bad. No, it wasn’t fair to blame the whole group, this had been his decision the whole way through. Sure they had a rule of unanimous vote, but Naoki was the leader, he was the one who had to make the calls.

And now they were reaping the consequences of his decisions and actions. Haru’s father was dead, and the police were closing in on them. He should’ve told everyone, he should’ve let it go, turned himself in and faced punishment. But now everyone else had been hopelessly tangled up in it, and he had the death of Haru’s father on his hands, no matter how much she tried to convince him that Akechi was the one actually responsible. In truth, they didn't have much choice in pursuing her father. Even ignoring the frenzied public, Haru would have been sold off, and none of them would accept that outcome. But it didn’t change the fact he had acted _sloppily_ and orchestrated the events that led to her father's death.

Haru’s altruistic and kind personality almost felt worse, considering her circumstances. She had every right to be furious with them, but instead she sadly smiled and told them it wasn't their fault. Is this how it always felt for people dealing with him? Naoki frowned as he stepped off the station platform, the loudspeaker announcing Shibuya astation behind him. Akechi had wanted to meet up with him for something, and it felt like a lead weight in his chest. If the detective had found out that they had tapped his phone... Naoki probably wouldn’t be walking away from this conversation. It felt like a betrayal to find out the person he saw as an older brother wanted him dead, but... In a twisted way it just made him feel that much more like actual family.

 _Boy but if his life hadn't been twisted from the very beginning,_ he wryly smiled to himself.

Everyone had been startled by how readily Naoki accepted his role as bait for Akechi; but in truth he felt that even if they failed, he’d only be receiving his just desserts as a monster of the Takenaka family that had gone too far. He couldn’t even bring himself to feel properly betrayed. A part of him almost _hoped_ he was marching to his veritable death here, if only so he could ask Akechi the question burning in his mind. _Why?_

“Ah, Takenaka-san. As punctual as always I see.” Akechi’s smile was as mild as ever. “Is, erm... Morgana was it...?”

“He’s at home. Your message said you wanted to speak in private,” Naoki warily replied.

“Just checking. There’s somewhere I wanted to go with just the two of us,” the prince said.

“Somewhere quiet and out of the way, perhaps,” Naoki muttered darkly.

“My, you have quite the grim imagination don’t you?” The liar smiled cheerfully. “But you’re correct. I'd like to head to Mementos with you. I think it’s time we discuss something important...”

 _Ah, here it is._ Naoki thought. Akechi would take him into Mementos, where nobody would see what would happen, and he would simply disappear. For some reason his thoughts wandered back to Kasumi briefly as he followed the other boy, as they frequently had ever since the school festival. Her outstretched hand, the cheesy music blaring, the awed students, it had all felt too surreal when contrasted with the rest of his life. At least she turned down the implied request from Morgana to join the thieves. The idea of something happening to her caused an indescribable discomfort to Naoki...

—

Naoki had survived, and Akechi had not. His team had celebrated his survival, the success of their plan, but to Naoki it felt almost hollow. Akechi's words haunted his mind.

"I despise you." He had said. "Everything comes so naturally to you."

And then they met once more, in Shido's Palace. Akechi had poured his heart out to them, and each word was a dagger to Naoki's very soul. So much of their grief had been similar and yet... Akechi had fallen to murder, while Naoki was the one with the Palace. What did that imply? What did anything even mean anymore?

While waiting for Futaba to prepared her ‘secret weapon,' Naoki found himself wandering Kichijoji in the afternoon, relatively unconcerned with being discovered. He was feeling somewhat self-destructive, after realizing he was too late. Too late to save Akechi, too late to commiserate, too late to explain.

It was a dark part of him that thought it, but in some sense Naoki felt that Akechi had been wrong. Naoki didn't have it easier at all, he wasn't _blessed_ , he had fought tooth and nail for every scrap of freedom. Who cares if he had natural talent, or whatever. He was the one with a Palace, not Akechi. It had become an almost nightly obsession, his checking the Metanav to confirm it still existed. Had Akechi known that he had a Palace? Probably not, or else he would have brought it up in his venomous rage. 

He knew better than to compare his own life with Akechi’s, but he couldn’t help but feel guilty for not being able to share more with the other boy. It felt like he had failed to save him, and his own words to doctor Maruki were haunting him. He had told the psychologist—or psi...logist—that it was enough to save those within reach, and yet he couldn’t reach Akechi...

“Takenaka-senpai?”

A girl’s voice snapped him out of his daze, as he realized he was staring at the advertising board for the jazz club Akechi invited him to a few months ago. Turning around, he saw a bemused Kasumi, looking stuck between deciding whether to approach him or leave him alone; the shy trepidation was so very her, and gave her a quiet and charming aura, even if she had been struggling with decisions after losing her younger sister. When had seeing her face become a relief for him? He wasn’t sure, but he was glad to have something to draw his thoughts away from Akechi.

“Shouldn’t you have your hood up? I mean, if someone spotted you it’d be bad right?” She continued innocently.

“Oh no, I’ve been spotted,” He replied in perfect monotone as he pulled his hood up.

“What!? You have!? Oh no! Is there anything I can do to help? Should we take them out?” Yoshizawa started panicking. “Er, not like murdering I mean, but-”

“...Hm, sure. Where would you like to go?” Naoki responded without missing a beat.

“H-huh?”

“Come to think of it, you said you liked penguins right? The aquarium shouldn’t be too busy today,” he continued.

“Aquarium? Sure but... Shouldn’t you be worried about whoever spotted you? I think you’re a little too laid back about this, senpai!”

“But I’m taking you out,” he tilted his head in fake-confusion, his lips quirking.

“You... Oh! Ahaha, I see... You really can be strange sometimes, Takenaka-senpai.”

“Only sometimes? I’ll need to step up my game,” he frowned severely.

“So it’s intentional then... I had my suspicions, you know.” 

It was a habit of his, a pathological defense mechanism. He knew as much, but it was still fun to lean into at times. In particular when it meant teasing Yoshizawa Kasumi.

“Shall we head off then, my spotter?” He offered his hand without much thought.

She stared for a moment, perhaps stunned by the boldness, before accepting it.

“You make it sound like you’re going to bench press at the Aquarium or something,” she laughed.

“A sea lion might be too much, but a dolphin would make for a pretty good upper body routine,” he agreed.

The two of them laughed, and for a moment Naoki forgot about the world and his worries.

—

Maruki betrayed him. Maruki betrayed him. Maruki betrayed him. _Maruki betrayed him._

It was a cacophonous chorus constantly howling in the back of his mind, as he sat at his work desk and methodically cleaned his pistol. Whenever let his thoughts rest, the buzzing reminder of betrayal returned.

Maruki had tricked all of his friends into living a fake shell of a life. Perhaps he could have let that go, but he had also _used_ and _manipulated_ Kas...Sumire. Even the mistake of thinking of her as her sister left a foul taste in Naoki’s mouth. That he hadn’t known, that he hadn’t been able to speak to her about. It was like Akechi all over again, but an intentional lie from someone he respected, if not liked. _And Maruki had cruelly forced her to relive that most awful moment._ There would be a _reckoning_. The man even had the audacity to bring Akechi back to life and call their reunion a gift, as though that were anything but spitting in Naoki's face. 

As far as he was concerned, it was a corpse walking around wearing Akechi’s skin, and the boy in question seemed in agreement. Naoki had tried speaking to the thieves; as cold and heartless as his attempt to shatter their false happiness had been, none of them seemed to _notice_ , much less care. Perhaps that was a betrayal too, but it wouldn’t do to blame them for being tricked by the true culprit. 

Maruki betrayed him.

It felt like a veil had been lifted from his eyes, as he realized why his sister punished Shouichi. It was a betrayal of the heart. Just as that man who dared be related to Naoki by blood had betrayed their mother, Maruki had betrayed him. He stole the person Naoki loved away, shattered the mask that he himself had built for her to prove a _point_ , and above all else tricked her into thinking that Naoki didn't have her best interests at heart. Maruki slapped away the hand Naoki had extended to Sumire. The man was deranged, and would die for it.

Maruki betrayed him.

He set the cleaning tools aside, glancing with disinterested and clouded eyes at the sleeping ‘boy’ on the couch and frowned. A part of him had privately hoped that at least Morgana would have figured it out, but he only seemed confused and pitying towards Naoki. A lost cause, that one. It didn’t matter, Naoki would kill Maruki with or without help. Then he’d drag Sumire back and... Figure out something. Would the world still be broken? Maybe the thing calling itself Akechi would have gathered some useful intel. 

He was getting tired, but after a week with almost no sleep at all would do that to anyone. He wouldn't let himself fall asleep, just in case Maruki tried to spring his mental tricks on Naoki too. He checked his phone—just after 5am—and stood up. The trains would start running soon, which meant it was time for him to wait for Akechi at Odaiba. He probably wouldn’t be there for a while, but Naoki wasn’t planning on getting any sleep anyways.

“Where are you going?”

It seemed he woke up Morgana, if the human thing could still be called that, as Naoki was putting on his coat.

“Odaiba. With Akechi,” Naoki brusquely stated.

Morgana started to say something else, but Naoki was already on his way out.

Maruki had betrayed him, and he would teach the man why the Takenaka clan did not _suffer betrayal_.

—

“Takenaka Naoki.”

“Result found.”

Naoki choked down a bitter laugh. Even in this shitty ‘ideal’ world, he still had a palace. Some rush job Maruki did. He couldn’t even fix a single broken boy. Well, not that he ever intended to fix anything to begin with, it was obvious Maruki had only used Naoki and Sumire for his own ends. The former for knowledge of the cognitive world, and the latter as a _test subject_. He clenched his phone, knuckles turning white as a clear voice called to him in the morning air.

“I’m not sure if I should be glad or disgusted to see you like this.”

Naoki lifted his head up, looking at the undead detective prince. He didn’t bother saying anything, what even could he say? They both knew why they were there, and why nobody else was. And yet disappointingly, Akechi sought to break the silence.

“I see your fellow thieves are still as useless as ever. Not sure what I was expecting, but the extra bodies would’ve been useful at least.”

“Are you ready?” Naoki sternly asked.

“I appreciate your savage enthusiasm and casual bloodlust, but would you mind not chomping at the bit. We can’t dispose of Maruki while dead,” Akechi scolded.

Naoki stared at him. “Shitty joke.”

“That’s _rich_ coming from you. Just don't let your blind hatred screw up our plan," Akechi paused, and then sighed after looking around. "If you doubt your friends are going to show up, I won’t hold any hope for it either. Let's go."

Naoki cleared the nav of his own name, and into Maruki’s palace they went. They were met almost immediately by Shadows in labcoats, though all they did was bow and open the door for the two of them.

“How nice of him to roll out the red carpet,” Crow drily intoned.

The corner of Joker’s lip quirked. “He thinks we can’t kill him.”

“He’s rather arrogant, yes,” Crow agreed.

The two of them advanced cautiously, the Shadows they encountered guiding them to a large seminar room. Joker froze the instant he saw the centerpiece of the room. Sumire, on display like a _fucking exhibit,_ and Maruki standing beside her. He felt Crow’s eyes on him, assessing what he’ll do. Preparing for damage control, perhaps. But Joker was still in control of the situation.

“What have you done to her,” Joker quietly asked.

Maruki stepped forward, “She’s unhurt. Currently asleep as well, until h-”

A bullet clipped Maruki’s cheek and ricocheted off of the corner of the chair. To his credit, he didn’t wince or recoil. Instead he let out a disappointed sigh.

“I’d be careful with my words if I were in your position, _doctor_.” Crow stepped back and folded his arms.

“This is your doing then, Crow?” The doctor quirked an eyebrow.

“Hahahaha, no. You should know better than that, Maruki,” the living corpse replied.

Joker sighed to draw their attention back to himself, his clouded grey eyes solely focused on the Palace’s owner. 

“Step aside now. If you return Sumire to me right now, I won’t hurt you,” he lied.

“But is that what she wants?” Maruki cocked his head to the side, and on cue the girl groggily awoke. “Is that what _any_ of your friends want?”

“Nnnh... No... No!” She shouted. “Won’t you let me live in peace? I can’t go back to being Sumire!”

She leapt forward, raising her weapon and donning her thief attire gracefully as she stood between Joker and Maruki, but Joker’s eyes remained fixated on the doctor.

“Before you ask, no I’m not cont-”

Another bullet shut Maruki up again, this time a tendril from the ground had erupted to shield him. _He flinched._ Joker smiled viciously.

“Sumire, come back. We’ll help you.” There was no warmth in Joker’s tone.

“Don’t you understand!? I killed Kasumi! She’ll never come back and it’s all my fault!” She shouted back hysterically. “Please just let Maru-”

A warning shot at her feet silenced her. Naoki was the only thing right in this twisted saccharine world, and he wouldn’t suffer anyone trying to say otherwise. His dagger spun into his hand, and something in his mind itched at the strange feeling of deja vu.

“I’ll let you handle this spat then,” Crow stepped back and folded his arms. "I'd rather not be blamed if you ended up killing her, after all."

He seemed intent on not interfering, not that it bothered Joker much. The leader of the Thieves lazily dropped a grenade onto the ground, letting it roll forward as he gazed up at Maruki. The psycho psychologist hadn’t moved from his position atop the podium; as soon as the flashbang burst Joker blindly darted forward towards him, the image of Maruki's grief-stricken face seared into his mind. Those tendrils probably couldn’t guard him if Joker shot him point blank in the face.

“Joker, your right!” Crow called from behind.

He leapt into an aerial somersault and avoided the sword that lashed out at his legs, landing just in time to bend under a roundhouse kick from Cendrillon. Before he could fully recover a pillar of light blinded him once more and lightly singed his face. Sumire was serious about stopping him, then. 

She stepped around to stand between him and Maruki once more, raising her straight sword in a standard fencer’s pose.

“I told you, I won’t go back to being Sumire, senpai. I won't let you stop Maruki.”

He choked on his laughter, clutching his face as he doubled over and convulsed from the sheer comedy of what she said.

“No, you most definitely won’t.”

His mask melted away, Arsene stood at his side, and then... Arsene’s face cracked, his body dripping shadows. A guttural howl echoed through the hall as-/

/-he stood in front of Sumire, his knuckles white as he stared down at the dagger embedded up to the hilt into her gut. His body wouldn’t move, his hands were glued to the knife. _What had he been_ **_thinking_** _?_ Everything was a vortex of noise and light in his head. He staggered back, his hands leaving the knife embedded in the girl. He looked up at Maruki, but the man had vanished from his platform; the chair Sumire had been seated in originally was destroyed, and a sizable portion of the arena had gouges carved in it, like a massive monster had swiped at it with its claws.

A tendril slapped him off his feet as Maruki delicately cupped Sumire’s hand, a fresh spike of rage piercing through Joker’s mind. _T_ _hat’s right, I needed to punish him. But..._

“Why won’t you accept it!? Why why why!? I _won’t go back,_ ” Sumire's voice echoed through the hall, but she was unconscious.

And held up by those damnable tendrils, the knife and wound absent but the cuts and tears in her outfit still revealing the truth of what Joker had done.

“Can’t you see how much she’s suffering? Can’t you see how much you’re suffering?” Maruki gently scolded him. "You love her, and yet you've caused her so much pain."

He felt sick, his body convulsed as a chill ran through him, clammy sweat sliding down his cheek and clinging to his back. 

“Rest for now, Takenaka-kun. I’m sorry for not noticing it sooner. But I promise you two will be happier this way,” Maruki pityingly said.

To Naoki, it seemed like anything _but_ rest was heading his way, as Cendrillon began rushing for him. His legs twitched, it seemed like the shock hadn’t left quite yet. Unfortunate, that it’d end like this. He really _should_ have listened to Akechi... Where had Crow gone, anyway? In spite of doom charging straight at him, he turned his head around to look for the former traitor.

What he saw froze his heart. Just as he looked back, he saw the Phantom Thieves of Hearts burst through the door, Noir and Queen quite literally throwing Skull in the way of the berserk persona. A loud crash indicated he had succeeded in stopping the rampaging Cendrillon, as everyone caught up to him.

“Sorry we’re late, leader,” Mona smirked, his tiny cat-monster body a strangely relieving sight.

“Seems like I made the right call to check back outside,” Crow’s words oozed with smugness. “These losers were fumbling around trying to figure out what Maruki’s keywords were.”

“What on Earth happened here?” Panther quickly scanned the room. “No, more important look. We need to rescue Yoshizawa from that... Thing.”

“I’ve been on the internet long enough to know where that’s going if we don't,” Oracle added.

“Oracle, you’re underage!” Queen chastised her.

“Hey morons, focus up! Joker get off your ass and herd these cats,” Crow grumbled, offering him a hand.

"Who are you calling a cat!?" Mona shouted back. "Ah, wait no I guess I am..."

Naoki took the offered hand, his mind racing as he struggled to process... Anything. They were back, and Crow was right. The Phantom Thieves had another Palace to plunder, which meant their leader couldn't retire just yet.

—

Naoki sat alone on a bar stool, facing the sink and absentmindedly staring at the steady dripping of water from the faucet.

It had only been a couple of days since they dragged Sumire out of Maruki’s Palace, and while she seemed fine... He hadn’t heard anything from her since then. Maruki’s actualization had been shattered, for her and the thieves, but it didn’t mean that any of her pain or trauma would go away. It’d probably take her a long time to work through all of that, but none of that was Naoki’s business. He had lost all right to helping anyone after what he did. Morgana had left him for the time being; Naoki wasn’t entirely sure if it was just to give him space, or if he felt safer staying with Futaba instead. He’d hardly blame the cat for that. There was no question about the degree of distortion in his heart.

It was a miracle that he hadn’t actually killed anyone, but even almost half a week later the mental image of the dagger embedded Sumire caused his stomach to churn. _Just like his sister_. He was horrified by what he had done, what he could easily do again if something caused his self-control to slip. He was too dangerous to stay free. His hands shook as he thought of his mother’s last moments, of the knife in his sister’s hands.

He rushed back to the sink once more, dry heaving now as there wasn’t anything left to heave back out. He heard the chime of the door, and hurriedly straightened his back and wiped the sweat off his brow. Had Sojiro returned already? Pivoting around he made to apologize for not mopping the floors but... It was Sumire standing in the doorway instead, her bespectacled gaze averting as soon as their eyes met.

He forced himself to smile, suddenly unsure where to stand.

“Hello... Takenaka-senpai,” Sumire quietly said.

“Good evening,” he replied.

There was a beat of awkward silence.

“Sorr-”

“Would-”

Another awkward silence as they both waited for the other person.

“Would you like to take a seat, perhaps?” Naoki offered.

“Sure, thanks.”

He walked around the counter and reflexively started preparing a blend. Low acidity. Even while doing something as routine and calming as making coffee, his hands didn’t stop shaking. He felt the sweat beading on his brow again, and the first cup slipped through his hands and shattered on the floor.

“Ah! Are you alright senpai?” Even her concern sounded subdued.

“Yeah, it's just a cup,” he dismissed.

“Is that another joke...?” Her voice cracked, and she looked like she immediately regretted the quip.

He couldn’t bring himself to look at her as he served her; instead he shook his head silently in response.

“Sorry. Thank you for the coffee,” she paused, closing her eyes and savoring the flavor for a moment. “Is it alright if I get something off my chest?”

Naoki’s body tensed up even as he nodded, though a part of him hated himself for it. What he had done, the way he had acted... She had every right to rake him over the coals for it.

“I overheard you all speaking with someone in the nurse’s office. I’m sorry for eavesdropping.”

Nobody else had said anything about it to him, but perhaps they were all too stunned to ask what had gotten into him. Or they were more focused on what Lavenza was saying about Maruki’s actualization of reality, it admittedly was a much bigger problem than his brief dip into that dark place within himself; not that he felt it excused his lapse in judgment, or that he wasn’t a monster with a horrific murderous impulse buried in him. Everyone else gave Akechi a wide berth because of what he had done, but it felt unfair to him that nobody treated Naoki the same way after what happened.

“It seems like everyone’s decided on what they're going to do,” she continued.

“Huh?” He blinked at her in confusion.

“I’m sorry for causing you all so much trouble. I was running from reality. Running from myself, and what I had done. It’s all still a bit of a haze honestly, but that doesn’t excuse what I did to... What I did to the memory of Kasumi. Nor what I put you through,” she said with a pained look.

Did she not even realize what he had _done_ to her? No, even if she didn’t it’d come back in time, probably.

“It’s okay. If anything I should be the one to apologize. I mean, I-” He hesitated, his mouth frozen on the words he couldn’t say. _Stabbed you_. _Cut you. Wounded your body and heart._ And for what, a chance at murdering someone else in a fit of anger.

“I don’t want to run away anymore. But I... I’m still not sure what I should do. Without Kasumi, I don’t have... What should I do, Takenaka-senpai?”

She gazed up at him with earnest eyes, as he clenched his hands beneath the counter tight enough to draw blood. Even if her memories were clouded, he couldn’t take advantage of that and pretend nothing happened. And yet, who was Takenaka Naoki if not the boy who always put the needs of others before his own. He exhaled slowly and closed his eyes, he heard her take another timid sip of coffee as she waited for his response. The advice tasted like ash in his mouth, hypocrisy manifested, but he still told her.

“You have to decide that now, Sumire,” he said, voice coarse. “On your own. You said you were done running, right?”

She winced like she had been struck, and then smiled. “You can be awfully strict senpai, but you’re right. I was ready to slip right back into...”

“Habits are hard to break when they’re all you know,” he nodded.

Sumire slowly stood up and bowed to him. “Thank you, Takenaka-senpai. It seems like I have some more thinking to do on my own. I promise I’ll find my own answer one day. But... In the meantime... Would it be alright if we continued to meet?”

“Of course.” The words tumbled out of him before he could process them.

“Not to-... I mean, I mean what I said. Just, talking to you helps me sort through my feelings. M-my thoughts, I mean,” she fumbled.

A pained smile painted itself across his face. “Any time, Sumire.”

She bowed once more, downed the rest of her coffee, and hastily retreated out of the store. Naoki was alone in the shop once more, and he slowly sat down on the stool once again.

His hands had stopped shaking, the floor stained with blood instead.

—

Today was Naoki’s last day in Shibuya, and arrived with all the bittersweet melancholy that accompanied it. Even if there had been more than a few problems that he caused for the Sakura family, he wished he could have stayed. A part of him thought about asking Sojiro, but he had decided against it. His fortune had turned around for the better, especially after getting out of prison, but he still felt guilt for what he did to his now-girlfriend. He still felt like he should be in prison, for what he was capable of if not what he actually did.

Sumire never spoke of it after that day, just before they began the infiltration of Maruki's Palace, and he didn’t have it in him to ask. Her confession had caught Naoki completely off guard, and made him realize _why_ he had been so obsessive over her being manipulated in particular. At some point, he had fallen for her without realizing. Maybe it was when she danced for him what now felt like a lifetime ago, or perhaps it was since the very beginning when he first saw her.

It was a little poetic, that love always seemed to be what drove his family to madness... 

“I’ll miss the place,” his loyal companion looked around proudly.

“Are you sure about coming with?” Naoki asked as he stood back up from the now-stuffed box. 

The painting would have to get shipped separately, since Sojiro declined having it added to Leblanc as well.

“Hmph, of course! I already told you I’m going to be keeping an eye on you. _Someone_ _'s_ got to keep you out of trouble.”

“...Thanks,” Naoki said with a bit too much sincerity.

Downstairs he heard the door open, along with Sojiro speaking to a customer. Naoki thought the shop would still be closed, but...

“Ah! Thank goodness I made it on time,” Sumire said, out of breath and in her gym clothes. “I have training today but I just _had_ to see you before...”

“S-Sumire?” Naoki stuttered, uncharacteristically caught off guard.

“...You’re really going home, huh?” She glanced at the box sadly. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to see you yesterday, and Sakura-san told me your train is leaving soon; he still gave us the shop to ourselves though.”

“I’d offer to let you help pack as morning training, but I’m afraid I just finished,” he joked.

“I can carry the box for you if you’d like!” She earnestly replied.

“It’s getting shipped later. But more importantly, you came to see me?” He tilted his head with a smirk.

Sumire nodded and, to his surprise, removed her red ribbon and offered it to him.

“I wanted you to have this.”

“...Isn’t that Kasumi's?” He asked.

“It is. But I'm giving it to you,” she stated. "As proof that I'm going to walk my own path now. That I'll carry on our dream. So... Please, hold onto that for me as you watch over me."

“I’d be honored,” Naoki said, carefully accepting the gift.

“...But there’s... Um... One more thing, too.”

“I’ll have to get another box if you’re going to spoil me with all thes-”

He was interrupted in the middle of his joking by a tender pair of lips, the culprit standing on her tiptoes and pushing into him as he found himself pinned by an impressively tight embrace.

The initial surprise may have given her the advantage, but as soon as it wore off he returned the gesture; he gently held the back of her head and leaned down, hugging her tightly as he kissed her back. They broke away after a moment to catch their breath, both their faces matching hues of red.

“Actually, I think I could pack another couple of those without hassle,” Naoki smirked.

“Pff, you’re so greedy, senp-... N-Naoki.”

“I’m rationing for my leave,” he brushed a lock of her hair aside.

“Then I suppose we're left with no other choice,” she teased, pressing forward for another round.

—

It was strange returning to his hometown after the year in the city. It was so much more _quiet_ that he didn’t even think about it until he was out of Tokyo. If he angled his head right, he could just about hear the ocean even this far inland. Or perhaps that was just a breeze passing through the platform.

“So this is where you live, hmm?” Morgana peeked his head up through the bag, eyes hungrily taking in the sights.

“In a manner of speaking,” Naoki wryly smiled.

They hadn’t even left the train platform, and already there was at least one person staring at him. A year away and on probation hadn’t helped his image in town, it seemed. But oddly enough, knowing that they were _right_ to fear him was a small comfort. That and the knowledge he had friends now, even if they’d likely never understand the depths of what he had to contend with.

It wasn’t much, but where he had lost he also gained. That was enough for him to feel at ease with everything and everyone in his hometown, his own personal prison. He chuckled to himself as he walked down the street, thinking about what Shouichi and the man's wife would think. It was all so novel now, he didn’t even mind the confused stares from other people as he laughed. They quickly looked away when he waved and hurried their pace, whispering to each other.

“As I thought, they’re whispering about you already... I guess that mark will take a while to fade in earnest,” Morgana sighed.

“Don’t be so down, my keeper. I’m relishing in my triumphant return,” he laughed.

“Are... You for real right now?” The cat looked stunned.

“I was partially dreading this,” he admitted, “but it’s honestly so ridiculous to me now I can’t help but laugh. If I really went off the deep end, what would they do... I wonder.”

There would probably be more rumors, of him having gone completely off the deep end and talking to his cat now, of him having used some kind of family influence to escape his charges, and probably others; none of that mattered, because Takenaka Naoki had met and made truly wonderful friends for the first time in his life.

They'd always be watching over him, too.

—

He hadn’t been expecting his phone to ring; it hadn't since he moved back home after all. Briefly he thought it was Sumire calling him about summer plans again, but the number was listed as unknown. Something about it made him feel oddly tense, in an unpleasantly nostalgic way; it was the feeling as though his luck was about to take a turn for the worse, in that famously Takenaka way. He had just started on the roux for dinner later too.

He let it ring until it went to the answering machine. The other end didn’t leave a message, instead immediately calling back again.

“Not going to pick it up?” Morgana peered at him from the kitchen table.

“Watch the pot for me,” he replied, taking the phone up the stairs and answering once he was in his own room. “...Hello?”

“Why have you not taken action yet.”

The voice wasn’t anyone he recognized, and something about it seemed to slip through his mind. Like water through a sieve, as soon as they spoke he couldn’t recall any details about what they sounded like.

“May I ask who’s calling?” He frowned.

“If it will help your impression and encourage you to take action, then sure.” There was a brief sigh, and then/

/the voice spoke again with mild irritation, “do you understand my point now?”

“I... What? I didn’t catch what you said.”

“Yes exactly. Now if we could get to business, Joker,” the voice said, all knives and smiles in their tone.

Naoki tensed up and left his room, peering out the window in the hall at the empty street down below.

“What do you want?” He warily asked.

“To know why you haven’t done anything about your sister yet, _Phantom_ _Thief_.”

“How do you know about that?”

“It’s my job to know everything,” they mildly replied.

“Are you working for the police?” His brow creased.

The voice on the other end burst into laughter. “You really _are_ adorable. Naokkun.”

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

“I’m going to hang up if you don’t get to the point,” he snarled.

“Scary. But I already did. I’m asking why you haven’t done... Whatever it is you do, to your sister,” the voice said.

“How do you know she has a Palace? ...More importantly though, we can’t. The Metanav is gone.”

It meant he couldn’t do anything about his own Palace, either. If he still had one at least... The uncertainty worried him, the familiar doubts and fears whispering into his ears.

“Palace? Hm, the term didn't come up in the research papers... But if you can’t any longer, I’ll find another way then.”

“W-wait, what are you talking about? How do you know Kumi-”

They hung up before Naoki could finish speaking, leaving him standing in the hall with questions and worry. Already the details of the conversation were slipping from his mind, but he remembered the two Palaces he had never spoken of to anyone. They were beyond his reach now, but the matter of their existence was fresh cause for concern thanks to this mysterious caller.

 _A prisoner of your own choice._ _  
__This is the life you have chosen._ _  
__Why do you now pretend,_ _  
__That freedom is your right?_

He spun on the spot, his heart rate spiking. Standing behind him was the first persona he ever met, a demonic looking horned man, clad in red with a face of burning fury. And then he curled up and burst into light, replaced by a young boy with tousled hair and prisoner’s clothes.

 _You who would return to the sun,_ _  
__Prove you have overcome your fear._  
 _Or else suffer once more,_ _  
That madness within you._

The boy didn’t say anything, but when his eyes met Naoki’s they shined with lustrous gold; his face twisted into a look of delighted bloodlust, and he vanished from sight.

Naoki slept that night, and didn't wake up.


	9. Rebellious Hearts

_“On each daughter’s 5th passing of spring, she is to participate in the ceremony of benevolence.”_ _  
_-Except from Takenaka family manuscript

7/26 | Wednesday | ???

After the final vision faded, we all returned to the warehouse. Much like before, all of the cages were emptied and an oppressive silence filled the space. Everyone was stunned and speechless, for good reason; the feelings Naoki-senpai felt lingered much more strongly this time. Maybe it was because they were fresher, or because it was more... Manic. I could feel the other Thieves look at me, but I didn’t even have it in me to feel embarrassed over the lovey-dovey display everyone had been subjected to. Not when we all saw just how _ignorant_ I was. That I was too wrapped up in my own problems to notice how much he was hurting as well.

“I can’t believe I was so blind to his problems,” I muttered bitterly.

“Violet...” Noir approached me hesitantly.

“So that’s what happened,” Fox soberly said.

“Wait a minute, where’d that girl go?” Skull asked.

We looked around, but the cage that held Kumiko in it had emptied out as well and she was nowhere to be found.

“Did we get tricked?” Queen looked to Oracle.

“I’m not picking up her reading, but something in the Palace has definitely changed,” she replied. “In fact, I’m able to pick up readings from the rest of the structures now! ...Maybe she really _did_ do something about the interference.”

“What about the central building?” Queen asked.

“Not sure, I'm not reading any changes in it,” Oracle frowned.

“Let’s go take a look at least before we rush into anything else,” Mona said, looking at me for confirmation.

I choked on my words, forcing them out with a meek whimper, “G-go on... Ahead. I’ll catch up in a moment.”

“Are you su-” Fox began.

I nodded, lying as casually as I could, “I’m fine. I just need to catch my breath.”

I watched the others leave before turning around and staring at the empty warehouse. There wasn’t exactly a lot of noise before, other than the ambient rustling of chains and feet as shadows wandered about, but now it was almost oppressively silent.

I waited for a moment with my ears straining for any sign of the woman I freed. But when I didn’t notice any sign of her presence, I let out a sigh and instead returned to my swirling thoughts. It was true that I had almost no recollection at all of that... Fight with Naoki, but even now I didn’t have it in me to blame him. How could I, when I was doing the exact same thing? No, not the same thing. He loved me and wanted to save me, and I just wanted to run and hide. And yet even when I resolved to stop hiding I wasn't looking at him... I had been so utterly blind. _Hindsight always brings things out far more clearly, doesn’t it?_ _Especially when shown through the lens of the opposite perspective._ I shook my head and gripped my elbows. When I thought back to those bleak days, when I didn’t know what to do with myself, when even just thinking about who I was brought on a headache... Of course I wouldn’t have noticed his suffering. And by the time I had arrived at a position to notice, he had already sealed the cracks back up in his mask.

_Or had I inadvertently done that myself with my confession?_

I frowned and shivered, worrying my lip over my petty indecisiveness and inability to accept the past. I was so wrapped up in my own head that I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard the clack of footsteps shattering the silence. I spun on the spot and put a hand to the hilt of my sword, but the tension was short-lived. It was just Haru, with an expression of concern on her face.

“Did something happen?” I tilted my head to the side.

She shook hers in response. “I was feeling a little worried about you, after all of that. Everyone else probably is too... You’ve been the most affected by everything that’s happened to Naoki-kun after all.”

“I just needed a bit of time to put my thoughts in order,” I said.

“Sumire,” she warily said.

“What happened to codenames?” I frowned.

In response she simply tapped her cheek, still moving calmly towards me. I mirrored her gesture and put a hand to my own cheek. I brushed away the tears I only just noticed, frowning deeper.

“It’s not like-”

“You don’t have to act tough for our sake, Sumire. We’re all capable of supporting each other,” she rested her hand on my shoulder briefly.

“I’m not putting up some kind of front,” I snapped back, perhaps a bit too defensively given how she recoiled from me. “I’m sorry. But I mean it when I say I’m just trying to put everything together in my head.”

“Half a year is a rather short amount of time to go from that to ending up as leader of our group,” she sympathetically nodded.

“I don’t even mean like that,” I sighed, “I’m just trying to find out what part of this was my fault.”

I paused a beat, exchanging glances with Haru as I hastily coughed into my hand.

“I mean, I don’t-... I’m not...”

“You’re not? Because it sounds to me like you’re looking for ways to beat yourself up over this,” she said with a touch of wryness.

“If anything I’m trying to reason out why I _shouldn’t_ ,” I grumbled back.

“You’re missing the point,” she said admonishingly.

I winced in surprise at the sudden severity of her tone. But where her doppelganger had been cold and embittered, there was still warmth in Haru’s tone; if anything, that made it cut deeper.

“It’s senseless to worry about what you could have done differently, or what you did or didn't notice. Isn’t that why you ran away in the first place?” There was a flicker of hesitation after she spoke, perhaps worried of touching a nerve.

But if she spoke of it all the same, it must’ve been something she thought was important enough to risk the stability of the team’s leader. None of the Phantom Thieves were _idiots_ obviously, but Haru always took the extra step in acting as an emotional ballast; something I had only vaguely noticed, before reading Naoki’s assessment of the different members' strengths.

I exhaled slowly, smiling wryly after a beat, “It’s a little unfair that everyone got to see such a deeply personal conversation isn’t it? I’m not upset, but it makes it hard to argue.”

“After a certain point, it becomes impossible to tell where the origin of fault lies. And while I think a bit of self-reflection is important at times, isn't what's more important the fact we're actually acting? We’re all here to save Naoki-kun,” she saidd, “so let’s get back to it, alright?”

I realized with a start that she didn’t suspect me of doing anything wrong. A part of me thought she might have paid more than passing attention to Naoki-senpai’s fears of resentment. I never would think that way in all my life, but given how I had been acting back then I was a little surprised she didn’t even ask. _Perhaps she's seen through that too... I know we're doing this to you too Naoki, but feeling like an open book is kind of unpleasant._ Then again, I had never been one to really hide my doubts and worries. In a sense I was asking for it with such perceptive friends.

I realized after a moment she was still staring at me, and I nodded hastily. “Ah, sorry. Yeah, let's go.”

“If you ever need someone to talk to, for any reason,” she started just as I walked past her, “I have some lovely tea we could share. Or coffee, even. Admittedly I'm not as good at brewing it as Naoki-kun is though, hehe.”

“That sounds wonderful! Erm... Yes, I’ll remember that. Thank you Noir,” I nodded back at her.

We spoke surprisingly leisurely of tea preferences as we walked back to the group.

—

The rest of the group was lingering around the hexagonal tower after having scouted the perimeter; Fox leaned against the smooth marble-like wall while Skull was giving it a few solid taps with his hammer before slamming it with his full force, the ringing drawing a wince from the entire group and a scowl from our tools expert. Queen cut Mona's grumbling short, as we all warily looked around to make sure the coast was clear. Only when it was certain that none had heard the sound did we collectively sigh in relief, Oracle rather forcefully punching him in the kidneys.

"What were you _thinking,_ Skull!?" Mona (quietly) growled.

"Wanted t'see if I could break it open now or somethin'. We're a third done so..." The blonde shrugged, begetting several sighs.

“Did you manage to find anything out, Queen?” Noir asked.

“Unfortunately not. Either the cognitive being we freed skipped out on her end of the deal, or isn't acting yet for some reason. We couldn’t find any way past these walls,” Queen said.

“She’s definitely done _something_ though. Like I said before, I’m not getting any interference anymore,” Oracle noted. “Maybe she pulled the plug on whoever was getting in my way.”

“Have you figured anything yet?” I turned towards her.

“Nothing we hadn’t already guessed, but there is definitely _something_ beneath the ground. I can’t tell what’s down there, though, so if our Treasure’s anywhere,” she trailed off.

“Right, which means our objective is still clearing out the remaining four jailhouses. Any suggestions on which one we go after next?” I glanced around at the group.

“Let’s get mine next. I’m sick of hangin’ back,” Skull stepped forward. “Besides, I can’t stand the thought of another me talking shit about Naonao in his own heart.”

I nodded at him sympathetically. “I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t, it’d offer Queen and Noir a chance to rest as well. That means you’ll be up as well Mona.”

“Haa... I can’t believe I have to work toge-”

“None of that now,” I warned, “you know that this is tactically sound. And if you’re really that adamant about fighting with each other, you’ll be able to relieve some of that stress on the cognitive Warden Skull.”

“What do you want the rest us doing, Violet?” Queen asked.

“I’d ask you to keep looking for a way into the central building, but that feels like a pointless venture right now. Rest a bit and wait by Oracle in case something happens,” I ordered.

Everyone nodded in agreement and we briskly marched to the building in question. 04 was printed on the side of this one, and when we had scouted it out before it hadn’t looked like much. An apartment complex, if I remembered right, but with jail cell doors instead of apartment doors. Mona made sure to leave ropes rolled up atop each of the buildings when we went up the first time, so that we’d be able to gain easy access upon our return.

It was a smart move, but just as I was starting to prepare my grappling hook to pull myself up Oracle called out to us.

“Wait! There’s something... Weird going on with the cognition around that structure,” she cautioned.

Everyone but Skull immediately leapt away from it like spikes were going to erupt from it, but instead the face of the building flickered like an illusion, and a person sized door appeared directly in front of him.

“Well that’s new,” I frowned. “Oracle, is it... Safe?”

“How should I know!?” she complained. “Palaces are weird, and this one in particular has had a lot of differences already. If you’ll give me a moment I’ll scan-”

“Alright! Guess Naonao wants us to get this over with as well!” Skull cheered before rushing in.

"Wai-"

He had already passed through before I could tell him to hold up. Well, at least it appeared to be safe... Not that anybody was _pleased_ with Ryuji barreling recklessly ahead.

“Skull you idiot!” Mona charged in after him, and with a sigh I followed.

Inside was a completely different scene from what we had scouted out before. The three of us stood at the edge of a wharf on a massive lake, with armored patrol boats circling the waters around a huge island in the center. The island held a single fortress-like tower, with a small balcony at the top.

“I suppose it makes sense his cognition of Ryuji wouldn’t be _subtle_ , but a lake?” I sighed. "Where'd this even come from, it wasn't like this at all before."

“Just a straight shot right to the Warden, I could get used to this!” Said blonde beamed.

Before Mona could add in his commentary I interjected, “So, would it be too much to hope you could turn into a boat?”

“The helicopter was an exception,” he grimaced.

I turned to the other thief. “Any ideas on your end, Skull?”

“Pff, like that bonehead-”

“I got no idea if it’ll work, but WILLIAM!” The Thief shouted.

Like a phantom, the Persona gracefully touched the water without even a single ripple. Just as it did, Skull jumped straight onto the yacht of his inner self. When he didn’t fall through into the water below, he turned around and gave us a thumbs up.

“Hop on you two! Not sure how long I’ll be able to keep this up for,” Skull beckoned for us.

“I’m not sure I trust you on this, Skull,” Mona complained.

“Don’t worry Mona. If his Persona collapses for some reason, just cling to my back and we’ll swim to the island,” I consoled.

“That doesn’t really give me any confidence,” he countered as we both clambered on. “Not to mention there’s no way we’re going to sneak up on anything on this. And if we fell in I'd get wet.”

I held back the urge to comment on how cat-like that was of him.

“Sneaking? Who cares about that, we’re gunning straight for the island!” Skull shouted, prompting his Persona to launch us forward.

As expected we were spotted almost immediately, a pair of patrol boats moving to pin us on either side while a third maneuvered to cut us off in front. Before we could be penned in and taken apart at their leisure, I fired the grappling hook at the boat in front; the shadow immediately burst into a great white lion, with its paws still on the steering wheel I noticed with a pained smile. I could almost hear Naoki-senpai's pithy quip about Mona and driving...

“Mona, Skull, handle the two on the sides. Winner gets a prize,” I called back as I zipped over murky water.

“You know I was there when Joker wrote that down in his book! Stuff like that won’t fool-” Mona started.

“HELL YEAH! Blast that boat away William!”

 _Well, I can probably leave it to them_ , I thought as I turned my gaze back toward the boat and angled myself to kick off of the side. Unfortunately, something erupted from the water and threw me up into the air as it struck my side. I spun around just in time to see-... Master Forneus? How bizarre, why hadn’t I known such an important individual was beside us the whole time? I had to apologize to him, and then destroy the intrud-

“Violet, snap out of it!”

Mona’s voice echoed in my head, I blinked, and I saw a bemused and upset manta ray on the surface of the indoors ocean. Anger flowed through my veins and I adjusted my posture, sword clearing scabbard with a keening noise; moments later I impacted the water with blade, heels, and Cu Chulainn’s spear all skewering the repulsive Shadow.

“ _Nobody_ gets to screw with my head,” I snarled and ripped my sword out even as we sunk into the ocean.

The rush of cold water helpfully snapped me out of my tunnel vision and anger; I kicked off of the sinking Shadow and began swimming back up, attempting to take in my surroundings while still undersea. Unfortunately it was too dark to make anything out, and just as my head crested the waves the roar of thunder filled my ears and lightning arced all around me through the water. Senpai hadn’t been a fool with his Personas however, and I reaped the benefit as it simply curved around me. Even though it still felt odd to have something other than Ella in my mind, Cu's lightning repel was an invaluable skill. As were the others...

Spotting the white maned aggressor on its boat, I fired the groaning grapple once more and dragged myself out of the water and in front of the Shadow. A brief flicker of will swapped my Persona.

“Die for the sake of the Master!” My enemy cried out.

This time flames washed over me, the lack of heat as unsettling as ever. My own response was a sinister smile, as Black Frost easily coated the entire boat in ice. The Shadow was left untouched and unimpressed, but that wasn’t the important part. I already knew that its 'natural' weakness would be accounted for. I tapped my foot against the deck of the boat, Ella emerged behind me and weaved her fingers in an intricate pattern, and the patrol boat was instantly shredded by the streaks of light that cut through it at bizarre angles. The streaks hung in the air as the space itself seemed to be sliced through.

Both the Shadow and I fell to the water, but this time I was thinking ahead. Ella gracefully cupped her hands, and launched me into the air as I used her as a springboard. Ignoring the drowning shadow, I craned my neck to look for my companions; both of them were on another patrol boat as William blasted a Shadow off of it and into the water. The cat was currently steering the boat, I noticed, directly towards me. _Senpai would_ definitely _have a quip_ _ready for_ _this._

Landing as gracefully as I could manage and sheathing my sword, I shot Ryuji a scowl. “I understand your eagerness, I really do. But please listen for my orders first.”

“Sorry... Violet,” he winced.

“I know I’m not the most proven leader, nor am I probably as good as Joker-senpai was, but you trusted me to make the decisions for a reason, right?” I gently scolded him. 

“That’s not true, you’re a great leader! Especially considerin' who it is we’re here to save. I’ve... Just been feeling real sidelined. I know you’re not doing it on purpose or anythin’,” he timidly said.

“Honestly, it’s because you always cause more-” Mona began. 

“Of course not,” I interrupted, glaring daggers into the cat. “I know it’s no excuse, but I’ve been putting too much focus on your leg when considering whether or not to have you as backup. Although admittedly a lot of my strategy so far has just been throwing complementary pairs at whatever we’re up against.”

“Nah, like I said I’m not blaming you. It’s really not that bad anymore though, seriously. I know you’re an athlete too and all though but like... You get me?” He tried.

“I think so,” I hesitantly replied.

“Careful you two, we have company... Approaching?” Mona mused.

Following his gaze, I realized why he was so confused: approaching us wasn’t a patrol boat, but a simple rowboat that looked like it was made of bark. A person in odd furs rowed it towards us, the waters right around the boat eerily calm compared to everywhere else. At the front of the boat, foot propped up on the edge and tapping a mace to his shoulder, was the fake Skull. I flicked a glance towards our own Skull, who frowned deeply at the sight but thankfully didn’t immediately dive into the water to swim at him or something.

“Well well, look what the cat dragged in,” the Warden jeered.

“Wow it really _is_ a poor fake, I’d never make such a stupid joke,” Skull taunted back. “Hey leader, can I beat the crap out of him yet? Even just looking at him’s pissin’ me off.”

“Do you have something in mind?” I glanced towards him.

He smirked and nodded; I relented with a sigh, and his Persona touched the water. Without hesitating it fired a round straight into the fake Skull’s face, exploding and throwing him into the water.

“I... Did that seriously just work!?” Mona cried in exasperation.

“Tch, idiot let his guard down. He deserved it,” Skull grunted. "Besides, I can't swim. I told Naonao that once before, but he seems kinda in disbelief. So I figure we knock the moron into the water and he's done for."

"That's surprisingly quick witted for you, Skull," Mona complimented.

"Don't make it sound like an insult!" The sprinter shouted back.

We waited a moment, and the Shadow boatman disappeared. It appeared as though Skull really did just... Blow away his doppelganger in a single burst. A moment later panic gripped me. _What about the key!?_ I rushed to the edge of the boat and scoured the water, a glint of steel catching my eye.

Ignoring Mona’s and Skull’s cries of shock, I dove into the murky water once more and swam out to claim the... Dinner bell. I blinked as I tread water, _I recognized this_. It had been in the first memory we saw. 

“Violet! Are you alright?” Skull called out. "What was that for!?"

“I’m fine!” I shouted back as their boat made its way toward me. “It’s a good thing the boats didn’t disappear t-”

I immediately shut my mouth, afraid of jinxing it. A quick look confirmed that the patrol boats had remained, but the Shadows manning them had all vanished. Thank goodness for small blessings. Clambering back up into the boat, I held out the bell to show the two of them.

“Your surprise attack was good Skull, but we forgot to account for the key,” I explained.

“I’m still just amazed it only took a single shot,” Mona said.

“Wait,” Skull hesitated, “does this mean Naonao thinks of me as a weakling?”

Mona and I both froze, sharing a brief look of understanding.

“Of... Of course not, Skull!” I tried.

We had destroyed the Warden before they could even get a proper monologue in, so we didn’t have a great grasp on what their deal was. _But what did it matter?_ I thought. These were distortions, and we were here to eliminate them from Naoki-senpai’s heart and free him. Nothing was owed to these fake distorted thoughts.

“Either way it doesn’t matter. They’re distortions, remember? And it just means Joker... Needs us,” Mona finished, a complex look on his cat-ish face.

“Yeah,” the blonde muttered as we reached a dock on the island. “Should we get the others you think?”

I thoughtfully hummed. “No it’s fine. We can always share what we see if it’s important enough.”

“Embarrassed that there might be more of the two of you?” Skull smirked.

“E-even Ryuji’s teasing me about it now!?” I whimpered.

“Violet, looks like you’ll have to grapple up. I’m not seeing another way inside,” Mona cut in.

The island barely had enough room to seat the tower on it, the dock more or less leading straight into the stone wall of it. There was a balcony at the top, but we couldn’t see past it. Most likely there was another cell in there.

“You two stay here and watch the boat just in case,” I said.

They both nodded; at least it seemed like they’d wait for me to leave before bickering. Wondering if I should have hailed Oracle to come in and keep an eye on those two, I paced to a decent vantage point and...

“That’s not good,” I mumbled.

The grappling hook had jammed up and wasn’t firing. It made an odd clicking sound, like some mechanism was straining or had sprung out of place. Had it been damaged by the water? I hadn’t even considered it at the time, but most likely my gun was in the same condition. I’d have to take a look at that later.

“What’s the matter Violet?” Mona followed me over when he saw me set down my rifle and remove the grappling hook.

“I screwed up Mona. The grapple jammed. My gun’s probably no good either right now,” I said honestly. "I'm sorry."

Understanding flickered across his face as he scrunched his brow. “None of us have ever gone into the water before, I didn’t think to test it for that kind of situation. I’ll take a look, but we might need to-”

He stopped mid-sentence as I handed him the grappling hook and turned around, stretching briefly before clenching the bell in my teeth and tested the stone tower for hand and footholds. It wasn’t the kind of exercise I normally did, but I was hardly _bad_ at rock climbing.

“Violet what are you doing!?” He exclaimed.

“Hmm? Clhimbihng ‘f’cohrse!” I happily got out through my clenched teeth.

I ignored his continued mumblings and scaled the wall. It was easier than I expected, even with the water on my clothes weighed me down; there were more than enough good hand and footholds on the tower. I hadn’t thought about it before, but my gloves _were_ pretty good at maintaining my grip through all my acrobatics; it stood to reason that they’d be useful here as well. After a little bit of warm-up and getting used to the feel of the tower, I started leaping up segments at a time until, before I knew it, I was at the top.

Making sure to check the balcony for traps or enemies, just in case, I pulled myself up and over and took the bell in hand. My jaw was a little sore, but that was my fault for being too tense. Whispers of... Something passed by me, words on the tip of a tongue I couldn’t quite make out causing a shiver to run up my spine. There was definitely _something_ in here.

I left my hand on my sword as I stepped forward, squinting in the darkness before going still. Propped up against the wall was a ragged and disheveled Naoki, in prisoner’s garb. I couldn’t see his face, his head was angled downward, but I could tell he was still young; not the Naoki we sought, but likely another of his memories. Haggard and worn down, there was something dangerous about the motionless boy. Like a cornered animal with nothing left to lose.

He didn’t react when I walked up to him, or even when I put a hand to his shoulder. It wasn’t until I rang the bell that his head snapped up, shimmering grey eyes staring at me.

—

?/?? | ??? | Clear Sky

It had been a particularly nasty day for Takenaka Naoki.

The kids at school had assaulted him, as was their whim when they felt the urge. Nothing had changed even though he was in middle school now, but the greater issue loomed at home. His father had been fired from his job, and had taken to drinking even more heavily. The pressure on their family savings was more dire than ever, and there was no hope of Naoki getting part time work at the age of twelve even _if_ someone in the town had the notion to hire him. The thought was laughable from every angle, and yet... He was running out of options.

A sigh slipped through his lips as plastic bags crinkled in his hands, his attention solely focused on fishing out his key ring. He had been skipping meals, just to stretch out their budget as much as he could, and the fatigue was getting to him.

_You can’t accept this, can you._

A shiver ran up his spine, and he twisted around on the spot; he brandished the key like a shiv. He couldn’t see too well, even the blackboard at the front of the class had started being too blurry for him to make out—not that it stopped the teachers from harassing him to try and speak up—but he could at least tell there wasn’t anyone in the neglected yard.

 _Your will,_ _  
__Your life,_ _  
__Which will surrender first?_

He didn’t respond, too confused and afraid; instead he hastily scrambled to open the front door, rushing in with a sigh of relief. The tension immediately returned, once he saw the kitchen light was on; Shouichi’s shoes were sloppily scattered in the entryway. The exhaustion must have been reaching a breaking point, as black moth-like shapes danced at the corners of his vision. But he was a middle schooler, what could he do to fix everything wrong with his life? Takenaka Naoki was _powerless._

 _You are a fool._ _  
__You are_ **_my_ ** _fool._ _  
__Deny me not, my young Pierrot._

Irritation welled up in him, but fear choked the flame.

He stepped down the hall to the kitchen, bewitched by the twilight atmosphere. Shouichi was slumped against the counter, a bottle loose in his hands. Naoki’s eyes flickered up above him to the kitchen knives, each marked on the hilt with the ‘bamboo’ of the Takenaka family; all were present, save for a conspicuously absent paring knife. That one was long gone.

 _Seek your freedom._ _  
__Give in to chaos._ _  
__That is your birthright._

Shouichi hiccuped, startled by Naoki’s sudden presence. It was always a gamble with that man, how he’d react. But today would be _different_. Naoki could feel something in the air, threads reaching out for him to grasp, a decision on what he'd become. Something felt like it tugged at the back of his mind, or pushed? He couldn't tell.

 _You know-_ _  
__You must-_ _  
__Embrace it._  
 _Take it._ _  
__Fight it._ _  
__Erase it._ _  
__Free us._

“Th’fuck’re you doin’ here?” The man who was his father slurred.

Naoki stood there in silence, his knuckles white as he clenched his hands.

One step.  
Two steps.

  
He crossed the kitchen in three steps, his hand reaching out and grasping something tightly. Shouichi’s eyes widened.

“What’re-”

A high pitched chime cut the drunk off, as the boy swung his pent up grief and frustration. The soft silver bell bonked into the man’s head, a delayed wince his only reaction as he stared at Naoki. His face was unreadable, everything was far too blurry for Naoki to make out; colors bled together as he cried.

“LOOK AT YOURSELF!” The boy shouted. “JUST... Look at what you’re _doing_ , look at what’s happened. Is this really what you want!? Are you okay with this!? Don’t you want to live!? Why are you just acting like... Like you’re waiting to die. Think about _me_ for once. Not the... Others.”

He breathed heavily and fell to his knees, as Shouichi remained completely motionless.

“You need _help_. It hurts. It hurts so bad, to see you. To be around you. I can't do it... I can't do anything on my own. You need to fix this,” Naoki sobbed. “You need to move on...”

Naoki saw Shouichi shuffle about, picking up the bell and giving it a small chime. He laughed, fresh frustration welled in the boy.

“What’ve I been doing?” The adult mumbled. “You... You’re givin’ me a chance, right?”

The frustration ebbed, as the boy nodded in confusion. The man shuffled forward, and placed a warm hand on Naoki’s head.

“Gettin’ lectured by you... Guess y’take after her-” He froze, and shook his head. “Nah, s’not important. Sorry, Naoki.”

For the first time in over four years, Naoki hugged his father.

—

7/26 | Wednesday | ???

I clenched my hand, and wiped the tears from my eyes. It had been a shorter memory this time, but more fleeting as well. Something about that voice in his head I recognized, but couldn’t grasp why or how. The moment itself boiled in my mind; his frustration tipping over, his fear and confusion holding him back, his compassion winning his father over... A voice in my head cut through my thoughts, drawing my attention back to the now-empty tower.

“Violet? Did you guys do it?” Oracle asked.

“Huh? Er, yeah,” I said, though I was still alone in the tower. _Could she even hear me in here?_ I had never actually asked how that power of hers worked.

I frowned at myself, shaking away the slight embarrassment and stepped out to the balcony; hovering over the indoors sea was the pyramid shaped Persona belonging to Futaba, Al Azif. Had she come in here just to check on us? I waved at her, before leaping down to where Mona and Skull were waiting. Both of them had slightly confused frowns.

“That had to be when he first awoke his rebellious spirit,” Mona said.

“You both... Saw that?” I asked.

I wasn’t sure, since I had been up in the tower while they were down here. Though-

“We all did, and that vision in particular whipped the Shadows up into a real bad frenzy! Everyone else is up on the roof waiting for you to get back and give orders, Violet,” Oracle explained. “Though right now it seems like leaving the Palace until everything calms down would be our best option. There’s a lot of signals converging on us, sooner equals better!”

It was a lot to process at once but I trusted Oracle's judgment, especially now that she no longer had something messing with her powers. I would’ve taken her word for it before, but perhaps not so confidently.

“Alright, we’ll withdraw for now. I need to check on my equipment anyway after my dive into the water,” I said.

“Understood! I’ll pass the message along to everyone else and find us a way out,” Oracle replied.

She touched down onto our borrowed boat and crouched down, the four of us heading straight for the exit.

“So y’think that’s when Joker first got his Persona!? He always did seem like a real natural at the Thief stuff,” Skull excitedly said.

“We’ve been over this before, you can’t forge a contract without physically visiting the Metaverse Skull,” Mona sighed.

“But that voice he was hearin’ was just like Maruki right? Wait does that mean he’s got the same power!?” Skull said.

“No,” Oracle curtly replied. “Akechi had a different kind of power, after all. Besides, just having a voice in your head doesn’t mean you have special powers you know. The Metaverse is weird but we’re not in a shounen battle manga. Though I guess if one got popular enough... Hmm.”

“Yeah... Yeah,” Ryuji dejectedly sighed.

“If anything it’s probably just a sign of the distortion in his heart. I... Had a lot of auditory hallucinations too,” she faintly said.

“Something about that voice felt familiar to me though,” I replied. “I don’t think it was _just_ that.”

“You’ve heard it too Violet?” Mona perked up.

“I think so, but I can’t place where from. Maybe from when my memories were all jumbled up,” I frowned. “Why, do you know anything Mona?”

“Not exactly. It just gave me a real bad feeling. Like it stroked my fur the wrong way,” he said.

“For real? It seemed like it wanted him to do what he did though...” Skull said.

“Well, for telling him to ‘seek freedom’ it certainly seemed ominous,” Oracle pointed out. “That’s the kinda dialogue that a villain would drop partway through an rpg.”

“There’s also the matter of Palace security getting agitated after we saw that memory. How’s everyone else doing, Oracle?” I asked.

She turned her head to stare at the far away ceiling. “Still waiting on the roof, though from the looks of things Inari’s made himself useful and found us an exit route. He’s got a good eye for details if nothing else...”

“What do you mean?” Skull asked.

“He’s been watching the Shadows move about,” Oracle said with the slightest hint of pride.

“Oh? That’s smart thinking,” Mona praised.

We arrived at the exit and left to the inner courtyard in short order. Unfortunately, there were Shadows milling about in the formerly empty yard, and powerful looking ones at that. I'm not sure how or when I started being able to discern it, but I could tell from their movements they weren't ordinary ones. Ryuji even managed to almost get spotted while we were waiting for everyone to climb down, they were extra perceptive ones.

“Fox, Oracle said you found a way out?” I whispered as we ducked between two of the jailhouses.

“Indeed, I found a blind spot in their patrols. Shall I lead the way?” He suggested.

“By all means, take us out of here,” I replied.

Once he led us out into the outer yard we had a straight shot to the tower we were using as our entry point. At least, it was until a searchlight from a helicopter shined down on us, a wounded Oracle with bandages around her neck leaning out of the side with a smug grin.

“Ahaha, you losers fell for the most obvious bait! GUARDS! Annihilate them!” She shouted without hesitation.

“That explains a thing or two,” our own Oracle muttered.

“Nevermind that, start climbing everyone. Noir, Fox, Skull, can you three help me hold off the Shadows?” I eyed the hounds already closing in on us. It was more than we could handle in a single protracted fight.

“Wait! If my shadow clone’s out here, she shouldn’t be able to stop me. Give me like... Half a minute,” Oracle asked.

“...You heard her everyone,” I drew my sword and faced the horde.

“Are you serious? This-” Queen started, before having to duck under a swirl of distorted energy. It was something about the colors, I think, that gave me a headache just to look at.

“Is hardly the time to argue, buy Oracle some time. We’re not climbing up like this anyways,” I flatly said.

Rather than charge out, we took up formation around our navigator; I was the face of our shield, and thankfully still fresh enough that my reliable Black Frost was able to stop the charge dead in its tracks with a literal blizzard.

“Heehee hoho. They’re like ice sculptures-ho!”

“Skull!” I called out.

On my mark, his persona launched an ordinance into the frozen sea of two-headed hounds; the detonation shattered a few of them outright, but the rest moved forward. Rushing past me, the glint of an axe was the only hint most of the Shadows got as our frighteningly strong executioner scythed through them like they were wheat.

“Is it just me, or do these ones seem far weaker?” Noir asked as she wiped her brow.

“Quantity over quality, perhaps?” Queen suggested.

“Keep your eyes out for-” I was interrupted when the flakes of Shadow suddenly began to glow and reform into the hounds. “This again?”

“Mo~rons, how do you expect to beat a super hacker in her natural habitat?” The grating fake Oracle taunted.

“I know it’s a distortion, but it still stings to think a part of Naoki thinks I’m that obnoxious,” Oracle mumbled behind us. “Ten more seconds, hang in there!”

“Allow me,” Fox smiled, stepping around me. “Gorokichi!”

His persona burst forth with a flourish of its pipe, and stomped the ground in front of it to launch a Shadow into the air with a rather impressively evenly cut rectangle of dirt before vanishing. He wasted no time in rushing forward and slicing it clean in two, using the rectangle as a platform to jump further up where he re-summoned his Persona in midair; this time the modern samurai struck the back of the helicopter, nearly dropping the cognitive Oracle out of it. Even though she maintained her balance, Fox had accomplished his goal as the helicopter began spinning wildly out of control.

On the ground, both Noir and her persona were laying down suppressive grenade bombardments in a frankly terrifying display while... Was she _giggling?_ I shook my head, scanning the field for any approaching threats. Just as I noticed a shadow had slipped past us and was headed straight for Oracle, it was thrown into the air and sliced apart by a concentrated tornado. The thieves seemed to have a pretty good handle on things.

“And... Done! Let’s get out of here guys!” Oracle shouted over the din of battle.

Just as she called out, the wall vanished and reformed with a hefty looking gate, the iron portcullis slowly lowering.

“It’ll only stay open for a few seconds, so _hurry._ ”

We promptly did, the Shadows having given up on chasing us even before everyone had made it through. As I was assessing the team, a delighted familiar girlish voice giggled on the other side of the wall.

“I found you~ Naughty Navi-chan running away~” Kumiko cried out.

The sound of Shadows being torn apart echoed through the entire Metaverse as we left as hastily as possible, exhausted and weary.


	10. The Lovers

_“The self suffused with divine love... The self capable of demonic cruelty... People live by wearing different masks.”_

-Philemon

7/27 | Thursday | ???

My head felt oddly heavy when I woke up, the haze of sleep lingering longer than it usually did. I must have pushed myself too hard the other day, since my body felt almost unresponsive. It should have panicked me, as it reminded me of the year before but the calming singing voice kept my heart at ease.

_Singing?_

I opened up my eyes, seeing a blanket of twilight stars dotting a gentle cerulean sky with lazily drifting clouds that couldn't seem to decide if they were gathering or dispersing. Sitting up and looking around, I saw a familiar mirror-filled room on the inside of a tower. I had been sleeping on a balcony, apparently. The dots slowly connected in my mind as a familiar gentle voice drew my attention.

“Good evening, shining star,” Lavenza said with a curtsy.

“Excuse me...? No wait, more importantly did I fall asleep here? I’m sorry for causing you trouble.” I hurriedly scrambled up to my feet and bowed apologetically.

“My master summoned you here in your dreams to speak with you, you have offered no offense to us,” she consoled.

“Is that so. That’s good.” I straightened back out and stepped inside.

The room looked the same as before, but I noticed in addition to the mirrors lining the walls there were what I assumed to be a few standing mirrors flanking the long-nosed man. I could only assume because they were covered by large cloths.

“Welcome back, dear guest.” The strange man, Igor I think, beamed brightly. “How has the onset of your journey treated you?”

“Good I think,” I said halfheartedly. Something about his demeanor made me want to not disappoint him, but even more so was the impulse to be honest. “But, it’s been a little slow for my liking...”

He chuckled quietly in response and snapped his fingers, prompting Lavenza to step towards the mirrors and remove the cloth from them. I noticed in my reflection that I was wearing an unfamiliar baby blue nightgown. My reflection flickered briefly, and I gasped in surprise when I saw Ella take its place.

“And yet you would face greater dangers still on this path you have chosen,” Igor calmly stated. “To that end, it has been deemed necessary that we explain part of our services to you as per the agreement in your contract.”

“It’s not exactly reassuring to hear that,” I mumbled.

“You are quite the brave one,” he lightly laughed.

“If you would, please face the other mirror and bring forth another Persona,” Lavenza instructed.

I nodded and did as she asked, unsure as to the point of the exercise while drawing Mothman from the depths of my mind. Just as I did I saw it appear in the other mirror. I turned to the girl and raised my brow.

“Do not worry, they have been recorded in the compendium,” Lavenza said, gesturing to a lectern on the other side of Igor.

“Excuse me?” I followed her gaze to the book, but my attention was quickly drawn back by the sound of the mirrors scraping against the floor as she angled them with a grunt. “Did I miss an explanation somewhere?”

“We’re creating a new possibility from the depths of the soul. Please gaze into the third mirror now and visualize the new Persona’s capabilities,” Lavenza instructed.

When I did as asked, I saw a blurred outline of a winged serpent, its haziness feeling almost malleable. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling, but I felt awkward and uncomfortable as I stood there and... Molded the Persona, for lack of a better term. The instant I was satisfied, the mirror glowed and I felt both Ella and Mothman disappear from my mind, replaced with Quetzalcoatl.

A twinge of panic rushed through me in the moments that followed, as it felt like something _important_ had been torn out of my soul, and I spun around to glare at the chuckling man. 

“Where did My sist-... Ella go? What did you _do to her_.”

“Please calm yourself, guest. She is still with you, forever a part of your soul. Should you need to recall her from the depths of your mind, you need simply ask.” Lavenza gracefully stepped between myself and Igor.

“I,” I exhaled, “would have appreciated a little more warning first.”

“A bold and bright star indeed,” Igor warmly laughed. “But there is more to show you. Lavenza?”

She nodded obediently, taking me by the hand and walking around to another mirror; this one was alone, and raised above a large stone basin.

“Please place another Persona in the mirror, as you did before,” Lavenza patiently requested.

I nodded and did as she asked, opting for Moloch this time. I felt a twinge of guilt for thinking of him as expendable, but Black Frost made his abilities somewhat redundant with all the fire... _Should I really be getting attached to these Personas though? They don’t feel like ‘me’ in the same way as Ella but... No moreover, what even are they? Igor called them possibilities.  
_

While I was distracted, Lavenza took one of the sheets from earlier and covered the mirror. I only noticed because moments later the gentle singing and piano came to a halt moments before she shattered the mirror with a sledgehammer—emblazoned with a golden V, I noted with a wry look—and shook the side of it to coax the shards out; they rained down from beneath the cloth into the basin below, where they slowly coalesced into liquid that swirled about as it drained out of the bottom.

Once it had fully drained, Lavenza removed a tray from beneath the basin; on it sat a crystalline ring, with plumes of fire swirling inside of it. It was mystifying, and beautiful to look at... 

“Fusion and Itemization. Both of these will be pivotal for you to fight the darkness ahead of you,” she said while offering me the ring. It was warm to the touch as I held it.

“We look forward to seeing your continued growth on your journey. As always, the Velvet Room is at your service,” Igor inclined his head toward me respectfully.

I returned the nod and glanced down at Lavenza, who simply smiled back silently in exchange.

When I awoke the next morning, I was clutching the ever warm ring in my palm still.

—

“H-hey, can’t we take a break, Sumire?” Ryuji gasped for air behind me.

“Or... At least... Pause for... A snack?” Yusuke panted out.

I glanced over my shoulder at the two of them.

“I wouldn’t recommend taking a break right now, your muscles will start to relax and you’ll feel the soreness sooner!” I explained.

“I know I said you don’t gotta worry about my leg so much, but isn’t it kind of cruel to have us jog all the way to the station after a cold breakfast!?” Ryuji groaned. “Besides I’m a sprinter, not an endurance runner...”

“It’s your own fault for oversleeping, and snacking right before working out is a recipe for cramping,” I scolded.

“Must we carry the... sleeping bags... as well though?” Yusuke wheezed. “They’re rather unwield... Unwieldy.”

“If you want, you could carry the tent instead,” I offered, adjusting the large duffel bag against my back. “It’s quite a bit heavier, however.”

“Just go on ahead... We’ll catch up in a moment.” Ryuji finally caved, stopping to catch his breath as he leaned against a road sign.

Yusuke followed suit, narrowing avoiding collapsing into a rice paddy as he sank to his knees. I winced, wondering if maybe I was pushing them a little too hard. It felt like the natural thing to do, since I had trained so much with Naoki-senpai, but maybe they weren't quite as athletically inclined. It wasn't necessary that we make it all the way to the station, but it would have been nice to meet Ann alongside the rest of the group.

“Don’t worry about those two wimps, Sumire. Just keep on going! We have to greet Lady Ann as soon as possible!” Morgana's muffled voice proclaimed from the duffel bag.

“Easy for you to say!” Ryuji shouted from behind us.

“He has pretty good hearing...” I mused.

We all had our phones in case of an emergency, so I felt confident continuing at my usual pace as we made our way down the vacant road. At least, until a black vehicle pulled up beside me and the driver rolled down the window. I braced myself, feeling Morgana tense up defensively as well in the bag.

“Good day, miss. Mind if I stop you for a question or two?” The goatee sporting man asked, leaning over from the driver’s seat.

Something about him gave me a bad feeling, but the polite Sumire won out over the cautious one. “Of course.”

“Right.” He pulled the car around in front of me to park, cutting the engine and stepping out with a notepad and pen. He was wearing a rather sharp black business suit, and his hair was slightly oily and smoothed down on the sides.

“Better start with the basics... Do you live around here?” He asked while adjusting his square rimless glasses.

“I... Don’t. Did something happen?” I asked back.

He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “There’s always something happening somewhere. How come you’re in a town like this for summer?”

“I’m visiting my Bo-... F-friend for summer break,” I choked back the word boyfriend, cheeks reddening slightly.

“Here? Must be a real close friend for that... Hrm, well do you or your friend happen to be acquainted with a Takenaka Naoki?” He mildly asked.

My blood immediately froze in my veins, the sweat on my brow going cold. 

“Why... Do you ask?”

He stared at me searchingly for a long moment, before deeply frowning and clicking his tongue in frustration. “Another dead end, huh? What’s with all the people in this town, honestly!” All his initial composure seemed to vanish in an instant.

I flashed him an apologetic smile. “They really don’t seem to like him much, do they?”

“That’s an understatement! Then again considering who his sisters are and the family's history...” He trailed off, sighing heavily.

“What? Uh, er... Not exactly,” I mumbled.

“I see. Well, if you hear anything about him, I'd appreciate it if you could contact me.” He casually flicked a business card out of his coat pocket at me. The name on it read ‘Hasegawa Zenkichi, Kyoto Prefecture Police’.

“The police? Did he get into some trouble?” I asked. 

Knowing the events of the year prior, I worried the police were finally catching up to him and wanted to quietly arrest him for something or other.

“Ahh," He nodded knowingly. "Don’t tell me _he’s_ the friend you’re visiting."

“He is, but...” I trailed off.

“Don’t sweat it. It’s nothing you need to worry about,” he said just a little too casually. "He's not in trouble, my partner and I just had a few questions for him."

“Heyyyyy! Sumire! You alright!?”

I turned my head back and looked at Ryuji, jogging with an exhausted Yusuke in tow. _Looks like at least one of them caught a second wind_. I smiled and waved back, turning back to the police officer who had followed my gaze in looking at my friends; his eyes seemed sharper now.

“Interesting... Sumire-chan, was it?”

A shiver ran up my spine, like a rabbit cornered by a wolf.

“That’s ri-augh!” I yelped, as Morgana poked up from the bag and dug his claws into my shoulder.

“A cat!?” Hasegawa yelped as well, nearly flopping over backwards into the street.

Morgana stared at him silently for a long moment, but ultimately shook his head with a sigh. “Haven’t seen this one before. Be careful Sumire, he's probably connected you to the Thieves now.”

I nodded in response before turning back to the man. “Did you need me for anything else?”

He regained his composure with a sigh, penning down some notes before shaking his head. “Not right now, but I’ll be in touch again after speaking with my partner, most likely. Why'd they have to dump him on me? I have the worst luck sometimes.”

Hasegawa paused his grumbling long enough to nod at me, glancing towards Ryuji and Yusuke briefly, before climbing back into his car with more mumbled complaints and driving off.

I stood there frowning to myself until the other two caught up.

“What was up with that guy?” Ryuji said.

“He didn’t accost you, did he Sumire?” Yusuke asked.

“I... Think the police are after Naoki again,” I muttered.

“For real!? But they don’t have anything on him! And they can’t arrest him while he’s in the hospital, right!?” The blonde shouted.

“Considering his past history and record, I think if they really wanted they could just make something up,” Morgana said.

“Perhaps they’re here investigating him because something has happened with the Metaverse,” Yusuke suggested.

“Wasn’t it gone until just the other day?” I asked.

“It coming back might be exactly why they decided to pay a visit to Naoki,” Morgana mused.

“How would they know of its return though?” Yusuke rubbed his chin.

“That I’m not sure of. But in any case, we should be careful and warn the others,” the cat replied.

“I’ll send the group chat a message,” I said.

 _Not to alarm everyone, but the police were looking for Naoki. :Violet_ _  
_ _Make sure you stay on your guard. :Violet_

_Oracle: The police!?_

_Noir: That’s no good... Are you all okay?_

_We’re fine, it was just someone asking some questions. :Violet_

_Panther: Thanks for the heads up, Sumire._ _  
_ _Panther: I’m almost at Shizuoka station btw._

 _Queen: We’re waiting for you there._ _  
_ _Queen: Is your group nearby, Sumire?_

 _They slept in quite a bit... :Violet_ _  
_ _We’re still out in the rice fields. :Violet_

_Queen: We’ll come pick you up after we meet up with Ann then._

After sending her our current location I put my phone away and turned to the other two. “I don’t suppose either of you have heard of this Hasegawa person.”

“Who?” Ryuji blinked.

“Presumably they're the officer she was just speaking to,” Yusuke sighed.

“Oh. Right. Man what was up with that guy!?” Ryuji repeated.

“You already asked that, bonehead,” Morgana grimaced.

“Yeah but I mean... Geh, I’m so sick of the police,” the blonde complained.

“All he did was ask me some questions about Naoki. From the way he was talking, it sounded like he’s been here for a few days but... The people around here not caring much about or for Naoki has been working in his favor at least. They don’t even want to talk to the police about him,” I explained.

“If we see him again, it might be prudent to get more information out of him,” Yusuke suggested.

“That’s not a bad idea, but he might know about the rest of you as well. And Sumire too now that he’s seen you together,” Morgana explained to the others.

“Sorry,” I winced.

“There’s not much you could do about it either way. He’d find out your connection eventually,” Morgana consoled.

“Ah! We need to do our cooldown stretches,” I suddenly recalled. “Come on you two, set down those sleeping bags and limber up those limbs!”

“There’s more?” Yusuke sighed wearily.

“Don’t wanna get any cramps or nothin’ when we head back into the Palace. Though admittedly I kinda skip ‘em. But it's a good habit to get back into with rehab.” Ryuji was at least eager about it. 

It was nice having a fellow athlete who just _got_ these sorts of things; even if Naoki-senpai was absurdly talented, he was also kind of dense when it came to... A lot of things, but it was clear he hadn’t ever put any serious effort into physical education. Not that I could blame him, after seeing everything I had in his memories.

By the time we finished our stretches, we could hear the sound of the camping van coming down the street.

—

“Sumi-chan~! You’re looking as pretty as ever. You really do pull off the sporty look.” Not even two seconds into the van and I was being crushed by the missing member's hug.

“It’s nice to see you too,” I nervously chuckled.

“Not even a passing mention for us,” Ryuji sighed.

“Lady Ann! I’m here too!”

“Hello Morgana. I missed you too.” She gave his head a respectful pat. After we were all seated and Makoto had resumed driving, she continued, “so everyone’s been catching me up as we drove here. You have the same ability Naoki does now, Sumire?”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “Have they told you about his Palace?”

“It sounds pretty crazy honestly. Both that he even has one and that _we’d_ be in there. I thought Morgana said that Persona owners couldn’t have Palaces.” She glanced at the cat.

“We came to the conclusion that the Palace preceded his awakening, and after what we’ve seen in there it seems like he was struggling with himself for the entire time we knew him.” Morgana lowered his gaze.

“The memory stuff, right? Or like, Haru mentioned you all saw pieces of his past. I’m kinda jealous, tiny Naoki sounds cute...“ Ann sighed, propping herself up by the elbows on the table.

“You wouldn’t be sayin’ that if you saw the shit he went through...” Ryuji muttered.

“Futaba said it was pretty rough to watch,” Ann apologetically agreed. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help before now.”

“But now you are. I look forward to seeing your passion in action once more!” Yusuke loudly proclaimed.

“I’m not sure if I should be glad or not that Yusuke hasn’t changed at all. What about you Ryuji, how has your rehab gone?” Ann pointedly looked away from Yusuke.

“Eh. It’s going. If things keep at pace I’ll probably be properly sprinting by winter. Won’t be as fast as I was before, but I was already expecting that,” he shrugged.

I caught myself staring at Ann, and forced myself to look away. There was no point in psyching myself out before we even had a chance to talk. _If there was even a sliver of truth in that cognitive being’s words..._ I sighed, glancing towards the window. We had been driving for a while; the park we had been using as our infiltration point wasn’t _that_ far away.

I turned around to talk over the divider to the front of the camper. “Where are you taking us to, Makoto?”

“Hm? Oh, right. Ann wanted to pay a visit before we actually went back into the Palace. Assuming that’s the plan for today at least,” she replied.

“Wanted to... Ah, I see. I was going to call a meeting to see how everyone felt before we went in. I assume she’s still pretty jet lagged,” I said, turning back to the blonde.

She looked away from Yusuke and Ryuji talking about food at my implied question. “I’m kinda tired yeah, but don’t let me hold the group back! I wouldn’t forgive myself if something happened cause of it.”

“It’d be worse if we went in and something happened to you because you weren’t ready,” I countered.

“True... And I haven’t seen the place for myself. I’m surprised though, you were so adamant about going after him immediately at first,” she laughed good naturedly.

“...Yeah.” I winced slightly at her laugh. “Maybe it’s just the pressure on my shoulders now.”

“Three days and you’re already more than a match for Naoki though! Or so I’ve heard at least,” she consoled.

“She’s definitely a natural when she’s calling the shots,” Ryuji nodded emphatically.

“Sumire is adept at adapting on the fly,” Yusuke agreed.

“But if anything, she overthinks things right up until the last minute.” Morgana stared at me.

“Well it’s only natural she’d keep thinking about the best possible course of action,” Ryuji snapped back.

Except I knew it wasn’t exactly that. Morgana probably realized I still had more than my fair share of bad habits. Talking things over with Makoto had helped, considering she really _was_ the smartest member of our team, but at the same time I felt like I was slipping back into relying too much on others deciding things for me. Or perhaps I was being over-sensitive. The fact I missed when I could trust Naoki to catch me when I fumbled meant it was at least worth considering though. I couldn't keep just wishing for someone else to come in and solve my problems for me.

I furrowed my brow, which prompted Ann to look at me. “What’s wrong, Sumire?”

“Eh? Ah, nothing. Sorry. I was just thinking about Naoki,” I sighed.

“Understandable... But don’t worry, we’ll save him for sure!” She pumped her fist confidently. “And why are you being so quiet up there Futaba-chan? Join the conversation!”

“Pass. Busy with something,” the hacker mumbled.

I raised an eyebrow.

“Perhaps you could share what it is?” Yusuke suggested.

“Focus, Inari. Phone. Hacking. Quiet.”

“Well, I’m sure if it becomes important she’ll fill us in,” I sighed.

The rest of the ride was spent with more small talk, Ann shared some of the exploits of her modelling and how schooling works in America. Apparently high school was structured completely differently where she was attending and she had to wait for the autumn to actually start senior year classes. Everyone bombarded her with questions, keeping all of us busy and keeping my thoughts from the conversation that I'd forced myself to eventually have.

—

The nurses wouldn’t let us all go at once, which made sense even if we weren't particularly happy about it; there wasn’t even really enough room in Naoki’s room for all of us to fit in there at once without crowding around him. Since it was Ann who asked to visit, everyone else was fine with waiting in the lobby area anyways. And as a flimsy excuse, she asked me to show her the way to Naoki’s room. Maybe it wasn’t quite so flimsy, given the visible relief on the nurse’s face... Which had immediately tightened again when Ryuji opened his mouth to complain.

Of course, I couldn’t figure out what to say for the entire trip to his room; which left us with an all too awkward silence as I opened up the door for her.

“...Are you not coming in?” She asked.

“I thought you might want some privacy...“ I mumbled.

She sighed and shook her head, straightening her posture as she looked right at me. “It’s a little rude to Naoki, but you wanted a private conversation. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t have me anxious at all... So let’s get it over with. What’s up?”

 _She must have been just as anxious as I was._ I felt a little guilty for thinking only about my own feelings. I swallowed a breath and stepped into the room, closing the door behind us as I looked at the sleeping Naoki. Seeing him hooked up to an IV somehow made the twisting feeling in my gut _worse_ than when he had simply been asleep in his bed. Like it was grounded confirmation that something was wrong with him, as opposed to something abstract. Like it was obvious that he wasn't going to just miraculously wake up.

Ann followed my gaze, her uncertain irritation subsiding slightly as she sighed, “It’s kind of surreal, seeing him there.”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “He always seemed so...”

“Invincible?” Her smile turned wry when she saw my surprise. “He showed me how to be strong when I was lost and confused without Shiho. I think he felt obligated to be that pillar for us.”

“You too, huh...“ I muttered.

“What’d you say?” She asked.

“He helped me find my footing when I was a mess of tangled memories and regrets. Though I guess really all he did was lend me his ears,” I said. “How...” 

I bit down on my tongue, hesitating with my words. I wasn’t sure how to approach this, but I forced myself into this situation and would have to tackle the worry in my mind sooner or later. _Otherwise I wouldn’t have learned anything from you, senpai..._

“How...?”

I smiled bitterly at Naoki. “How do you feel about him?” _How accurate was that cognition?_

“Huh? I mean, he’s a really incredible person! Like I said, he just seemed always on point with the Phantom Thief stuff, like it was natural to him in a way it just... Wasn’t with anyone else. When I heard he had a Palace I was... Well I mean, I was really worried,” she said. “Admittedly, at first I thought it was cause he regretted us going but... It sounds like it’s a bit more complicated than that.”

“That’s not quite what I mean,” I evenly said. “Maybe it’s a little too personal to ask you about this... I apologize for the rudeness but, do you love him?”

“Hah!?” She took half a step back. “I... I mean, he did an awful lot for me. I... Kinda did at one point, I guess. But he never picked up on it.”

“I see...” I frowned.

“He always acted real aloof,” she smiled after regaining her composure. “But I think he was also covering for being a bit dense, you know? Kinda like nervously chuckling when you don’t know how to respond.”

“He never let anything faze him,” I agreed. “But it meant he kept too much to himself. Like... Well, everything.”

“I don’t blame him, though. We all put him on a pedestal, so of course he felt awkward.” She looked at me searchingly.

“We did, and that was our fault. But... Mm,” I hesitated again, looking everywhere but at the two people in the room. “Maybe it was all just in my head after all. I feel pretty stupid, letting something like that get under my skin.”

“What do you mean, Sumire?”

She seemed so genuine that I really _did_ feel like an idiot for beating around the bush, trying to expose something that was never there. _Communication with the team is key, right?_

“The first cognitive being we encountered in his Palace was you. Or, well... It was a knock-off model of you,” I explained. “She said she hated me, and resented Naoki for picking me over you.”

“I... Wh-what!?” She choked out a laugh. “Sumire, just because I had a crush on him doesn't mean I _hate_ you. And like I said, I got over it. He’s an invaluable friend but like... Yeah. I guess that means it was obvious enough that he picked up on it at some point, if the fake me was like that in there right?”

I let out a tightly held breath I hadn’t noticed, slumping my shoulders in relief. “Sorry, it really does sound absurd when you put it like that. But there’s... More to it than that.”

“I don’t resent him for anything either,” she frowned. “I think he’s a bit of a dingus for not telling us anything, but like I said that’s as much on us as it is him.”

“N-no not that. I uh... Mm.” I pursed my lips, unsure how to put it gently. _Maybe the direct approach is the only approach, in this case..._ “I sort of... Lost my temper with her. And... Rather than out of obligation or necessity to save Naoki, I killed her because I didn’t want to share him. _Especially_ not with someone spitting such vile words. I wanted him to myself.”

Her eyes widened. _Understandable._

“You... Um, that’s uh, kinda hardcore,” she chuckled nervously.

 _Yeah, maybe I shouldn’t have said anything_.

“But still, you love him an awful lot don’t you? If you’d go that far for him. That’s pretty romantic, in a way!”

I could tell she was just trying to stay positive about it, and sighed, “it’s alright to speak your mind on it. That’s why I wanted to talk to you... Since in the end when it comes down to it, I’m not really any better than Ak-”

“Alright now _that’s_ not even remotely true,” she interrupted, more than slightly irate. “It was just a cognitive being, right? Makoto and Haru told me that the Wardens needed to be defeated for the jail keys. That’s a completely separate matter.”

“But...” I started again.

“But nothing! You’re here worriedly telling me about this because you acknowledge what you did because, even when it was the right thing to do, you think you did it for the wrong reason. To me that’s proof that you’re not some psychopath with a sword, if that’s your concern,” she said chidingly.

“I... I’m not sure what to say to that,” I lowered my head.

“Instead of being a leader that everyone relies on, you’re more like a leader who relies on everyone,” she chuckled. “That’s probably better than what we put Naoki through, though. You have a strong heart, Sumire. I’m sure everyone else already knows that as well, and even if they haven’t figured it out for themselves, they’re helping you make the choices you know to be right.”

“...Maybe you really would have been a better choice for him,” I mumbled.

“Haha, I sounded pretty smart for a moment there didn't I?” She puffed her chest out proudly. “...But quit being ridiculous, you two are a perfect match. And I think he made a good choice myself, honestly.”

She nodded to herself as we lapsed into silence, both of us looking at the quietly sleeping teenager.

“I’m still... A little surprised you just brushed off me murdering a distorted clone of you in a jealous fit,” I eventually admitted.

“Honestly after last year that’s, like, one of the least crazy things I’ve had to deal with,” she laughed. “N-not that you're crazy, I mean. Just make sure you remind him of how much you love him. But I probably don’t need to tell you that, do I?”

I hummed thoughtfully, nodding in agreement.

Even as some of the tension between Ann and I melted, my thoughts returned to Naoki, and his supposedly ‘cursed’ family. There was still a lot we didn’t know, but Naoki’s obsession with Maruki’s betrayal still clung to my mind like smoke from a campfire. If we were going to save him, then there were probably worse things we'd still have to do.


	11. Interrogation

_"Always place an extra cup at the table, for our predecessors are by our side and watching over our every action."_  
-Takenaka family manuscript

7/27 | Thursday | Clear Skies

“This is... Naoki’s palace?” Panther muttered in awe. “It’s so huge! I can’t believe it...“

“Yeah, neither could we at first,” Skull said.

“Whoa... You guys aren’t going to like _this_ though,” Oracle called out from the rampart above us.

The Shadows had abandoned the outer walls entirely, and once I grappled up beside Oracle I saw why: the outer courtyard was littered with twisted metal from helicopters that had been taken out of the sky, while several others still flew overhead patrolling the area. I noticed with some chagrin that the rooftops for the jailhouses were being swept with their searchlights as well, and that at least one of said jailhouses was a collapsed and smoking ruin.

“Did we make a mistake?” I frowned.

“What do you mean?” Oracle turned to me.

“That girl we freed. Kumiko. Is this sort of thing supposed to happen in someone’s Palace?” I couldn't stop my voice from quavering ever so slightly.

“Generally actions in Palaces can change the cognitive layout, but this is the first time I've seen such a severe alteration. Everything about Naoki’s Palace has been irregular from the beginning, though Mona and I were chalking it up to him being that much more aware of how the Metaverse actually functions.” She looked up at the sky and complained loudly, “Changing the dungeon layout halfway through is cheating you know! Don’t make the player redraw the whole thing!”

I gave her a pat on the shoulder. “Feeling a little better?” Maybe I should play at least one of the videogames she suggested, sometimes it felt like she dipped into an entirely different language.

“Are you two okay?” Noir asked worriedly. 

The others had climbed up after us, and were taking in the scenery themselves.

“Dude... What the eff.”

“I see someone has been busy waging a war in our stead,” Fox muttered, struck with awe.

“Well... On the bright side, there’s less helicopters for us to deal with now?” Panther suggested.

“There _weren’t_ any helicopters originally,” Queen sighed.

“Oh.”

“Oracle, are you getting any interference?” I asked.

“None at all. Which probably means...“ She trailed off as everyone turned toward me without any prompting.

“Fox, Panther, Queen, with me. The other three will guard Oracle as she keeps a lookout for Kumiko or anything else,” I ordered. “Also I have some... Gifts for everyone.”

“Gifts?” Skull tilted his head.

“You really are turning into Joker. Staring off into space for half an hour before coming back and saying we’re going in,” Mona shook his head.

“A-am I really just standing there the whole time?” I stuttered.

“I assumed he was coming up with strategies while doing that,” Mona sighed. “What have you got for us, Violet?”

I held out the fruits of my half hour in the Velvet Room, trying out different combinations and itemizations with Lavenza; all done while Igor watched with his stoic leering smile. It was difficult to get a read on what kind of person he was, but the girl seemed very attached and vouched that he ‘was the genuine article’. Whatever that meant.

“Whoa, where’d you get these? ...Come to think of it, Naoki never gave a straight answer when he'd give us stuff either.” Skull held up a ring shaped like an elaborate woven spiral, a small gust of wind always coursing around it.

“It’s a little hard to explain...” I sighed. “Just take my word for it that Lavenza helped me make these.”

“Lady Lavenza huh... I see,” Mona nodded as he attempted to put on a belt made of sharp iron scales.

Unfortunately it was made with humans in mind, meaning it fit better as a bandolier on him.

“I take it that if Panther and I are to be with the vanguard, we are headed into that perplexingly abstract prison that my imposter presides over?” Fox asked me.

“That’s right. Here Queen, this one’s for you.” I handed over the ring filled with flames, which she accepted with an amused look. “And this one’s for you, Fox.”

To him, I offered a pale blue sash that seemed to be constantly dripping blood, though it never left any stain on the floor. It was incredibly unsettling, but Lavenza said it’d reduce fatigue. As I opened my mouth to explain to him, since I doubted anyone would hesitate to refuse such a bizarre item without explanation, he gasped.

“This is... Incredible!” He exclaimed.

“I know it loo-... Huh?” I blinked.

“I can sense a deep bloodlust emanating from it, a maddened passion that matches the dying will of the victim whose essence went into sewing it with their very life woven in!”

“Actually, I just melted down a Pers-”

He slung it over his shoulder and gripped my hands before I could even speak. “Thank you, Violet. I already feel more than ready to tear down that imposter tainting the canvas of Naoki’s soul.”

“R-right,” I muttered with a sigh.

“You know, I almost kinda missed seeing when his switch gets flipped like that in person,” Panther smiled. “So, got anything for me?”

“Yeah, let me just...“ I wrenched my hands away from the impassioned artist with a mild struggle, and fished out a necklace with a crimson eye in the center. “It’s... Well, I’m not expecting you to be head over heels for it.”

It blinked before I could hand it over, and Panther understandably winced and hesitated before putting it on. “It’s not gonna steal my soul or something right?”

“Hopefully not,” I mumbled. “Didn’t Naoki-senpai ever give you all anything like this?”

“Most of his accessories were more... Mundane?” Noir mentioned.

“Yeah like that hat he won at the batting center! That was a good one,” Skull said.

“Batting center, huh.” I paused, briefly recalling when I dragged him there myself. I shook the thought, we were too busy for me to let myself get pulled into the past. “...Right. Let’s clean up the rest of these jailhouses today, Phantom Thieves.”

With a rallying cry from the group, we began sneaking through the wreckage of the Palace.

—

I wasn’t sure if I should be thankful or not that the interior of this particular jailhouse had remained the same as when we initially scouted it out. At least, as far as any of us could tell it had stayed the same. It was admittedly difficult to tell when the entire place was a black and red void with stairs at odd angles leading to other sections that, from one person’s perspective, would appear to be entirely upside down overhead; or we’d come out one door and end up on the wall of another section.

For example, I was currently looking ‘down’ from a disconnected bridge overlooking the other members, though whatever passed for gravity here saw my feet planted on the... Ground, while they all appeared to be hanging like bats. No doubt it was the same for them. None of the paths we had tried had lead anywhere, and frustratingly the doors that we'd arrive through would take us somewhere completely new when we'd double back through them. Which meant that we were hopelessly lost. Not only that, but as soon as we entered we were entirely cut off from Oracle, meaning we had no way to navigate this twisted dimension other than luck and guesses.

“I think this route just loops back around to the 'entrance', did we miss a door somewhere?” I called down to them.

“I’m honestly trying not to think about this too hard. I think I’m gonna be sick,” Panther groaned.

“This chaos is rather reminiscent of Madarame’s Palace, but I have yet to see anything that would serve as a switch for the doors,” Fox mused.

“Careful everyone, there’s a Shadow approaching!” 

Queen pointed into the red haze, where a flock of birds that flapped their wings backwards lazily drifted above—or below?—the section of floor I was on. The other disadvantage to our trek through this jailhouse was that there wasn’t anywhere to _hide_ in here, though at least the Shadows all had seemed so far incredibly disinterested in us. Most of them simply wandered about, going through doors and simply vanishing entirely. Others sat on their knees with their heads hung low as if in prayer. I made sure to keep an eye on them of course. The flock followed the same pattern as the others, flying into a door and simply vanishing. I sighed in relief as I stepped through the door to follow after everyone else and... Ended up on an isolated platform, with nothing else around in the eerie red void.

Hovering in the air before me was the cloud of bird-Shadows, which immediately began to attack each other as soon as I arrived; as they devoured each other, the cloud coalesced into a black armored knight with a cape of pitch black night fluttering behind it.

It stared at me, and a sound like exhaling escaped from its helmet. My eyes flicked to the menacing pitch black halberd in its hand. The Shadow made no attempt to move or change its neutral posture. I slowly drew my sword, keeping a cautious eye on the shadow as I glanced over my shoulder. None of the others were here yet, and this thing seemed content on waiting... _Should I try my luck with it one on one? Surt would probably do a number on it, but..._

The Shadow exhaled again, and tilted its helmet as though confused. _Is it... Waiting for me?_

I cleared my throat. “H-Hello?”

“...”

“Not... A talker then, are you. Are you going to surrender?”

It shook its head.

“Yeah, didn’t think so...” I sighed. “Then, are we going to fight or not?”

It shook its head again. 

I frowned. “Well if you aren’t going to do anything I’m leav-”

“ **Wait** ,” a deep voice resonated from the Shadow, shaking the platform we stood on and dropping some minor debris off the edge into the void.

“So you _can_ talk. Sorry, but I’m going to regroup with my friends,” I flatly declined.

“ **They will be here soon** ,” the Shadow rumbled once more, chunks of the platform falling away.

“I’ll believe that when I see it,” I drily remarked.

In response, it raised its free hand and pointed past me. Turning around cautiously—I wasn’t about to let it catch me with the oldest trick in the book—I saw the other three rush in, out of breath and slightly scraped up.

“Did we lose them?” Fox asked.

“I... I think so. Panther, stay still a moment. You’re bleeding,” Queen addressed the other girl.

“Oh! Guys, we found Violet!” Panther exclaimed.

“Looks like we’ll have to catch our breath later. Violet needs our help,” Queen remarked.

I smiled in relief, quickly catching myself and clearing my throat.

“Watch your footing, this one’s got a loud voice and... I’m not sure if it’s going to fight us or not,” I said.

“As soon as you vanished through the doorway, a bunch of Shadows immediately rushed our position,” Queen explained. “We fended them off as best we could as we tried to figure out how to get to you, but somehow we ended up here anyways.”

“This place is so screwy! Something gives me the feeling that it doesn’t actually matter where we go in or come out,” Panther fumed.

Fox’s eyes met the Shadow, and after exhaling ominously again it turned around; a new archway appeared right before it, and it stepped through.

“I believe it wants us to follow,” he said.

“This feels like a trap,” I suggested.

“I agree, but we don’t appear to have any better options at the moment.” Queen was currently tending to Panther’s arm, flesh and fabric stitching back together, and nodded towards the arch we had all entered from. Or rather, nodded towards where it was, as it had ceased existing.

“Can’t say I missed _this_ feeling,” the fashion model complained, poking at the tender spot ruefully.

“Let’s hurry, if we’re going to walk into a trap anyways I’d rather not be stuck here in the void,” I said.

The others formed up behind me, and we pushed through with weapons drawn... Only to find an alarmingly normal looking room, with a high ceiling and stone flooring. It looked like a cathedral of some sort; in the center sat a boy in front of an easel, while another was wrapped in a padded jacket and tied to a cross before him. Light shone through the stained glass behind the cross. It would have been a deceptively peaceful scene, if it weren't for teenage Naoki in a padded jacket, the Warden imitation of Fox, and the black knight beside him.

“Good, you’re finally here. Late, but here. Hurry and take these, we can’t let him run from his duties again,” the Warden said, holding up a bucket of nails.

“Excuse me!?” Queen snapped.

“Art isn’t going to happen on its own! Finally, I’ll be able to capture the passion of our leader,” the faux-Fox reveled.

“We’re not going to help with anything!” Panther shouted.

“Then you’ll join him,” the fake replied, almost manically. “Just when I found someone to rely on, he left me! But no more. He shall remain here for all eternity, as my most splendid subject.”

“...There is no beauty in this,” Fox whispered.

“Was it like this with me too?” Panther mumbled to me. “I can kinda see why you’d want to stab her so badly.”

I choked back an awkward laugh. “W-well, anyways. Our objective is the cognitive Fox. There’s no sense wasting time talking with him.”

“Indeed, if you are all simply here to waste my time then I have no use for you.” The Warden snapped his fingers. “Tepes, dispose of them.”

“ **Yes, my liege** ,” the Shadow rumbled.

“This really _is_ just like Shido’s Palace,” Panther mumbled.

Before anyone else could comment, the Shadow gripped its halberd in both hands and swung it in a simple horizontal motion. Pews were sent flying as the force of the swing knocked everyone off of their feet, the wind itself seeming to cut through armor.

Wasting no time, the Shadow rushed straight at Panther; just as it brought its halberd overhead for a killing stroke flames erupted around it and drove it back. I took the opportunity and dove to drag Panther out of the way, leaving behind a little present for the Shadow.

“Good reaction time, Panther,” I remarked.

“That wasn’t me though.”

“Are you two alright?” A voice called out as the flames petered out. “These accessories of yours are really something, Violet.”

I spun around and saw both Queen and Fox crouched behind a haphazardly stacked pile of pews, just as the flashbang went off and blinded the Shadow.

“Fox, can you handle your clone? Fighting these Shadows has been a waste of time in the past, but I’m thinking we'll need at least us three to distract it,” I suggested. "There's no way we could take on the Warden while dealing with that kind of power."

“If that is your desire, it shall be done,” he resolutely said.

I looked at the other two and muttered, “I can’t believe I’m saying this but... G-give him the razzle dazzle. When you get an opening...” _Senpai your tactic names are way too weird!_ _And why didn't you bother with any when Akechi and I were around?_

Queen and Panther nodded as they both smothered their smiles, and the former jumped out in front of the Shadow standing over a head taller than her. She weaved forward under a swing, removing the advantage of the halberd's reach as she simultaneously struck the armor plated Shadow twice. Each blow rang out loudly in the cathedral, but it didn’t even flinch; instead it used its free hand and attempted to backhand her.

She pivoted on her back foot and ducked around beneath the Shadow's halberd arm and made a valiant effort of trying to sweep its leg. Unfortunately the thing was apparently a brick wall and didn't even react, much less stumble. It twisted its wrist and the back end of the halberd cracked against Queen’s shoulder, throwing her to the ground.

I cast a glance towards our blonde cat burglar before stepping in myself, she still needed more time.

“Cu Chulainn!”

The faithful warrior appeared just in time to parry a strike aimed at the downed Queen, sliding his spear along the haft straight into the Shadow's gorget. The blow glanced off, but his attention was drawn my way. He ignored my Persona entirely as he swung straight at me, another gust of cold wind leaving gashes in my arms and cheeks as I reflexively shielded my face. It immediately followed by lunging straight at me, and I feinted back despite knowing full well the Shadow had greater momentum and reach. Sensing the opportunity, it attempted to strike, only for the armored motorcycle to crash right into its back and throw it to the ground.

“Step back!” Panther shouted.

While the Shadow was still off-balance, we leapt away to make room for the sudden eruption of liquid magma centered directly beneath it. For good measure, Queen spun her Persona around to launch an explosion into the molten pile. 

The explosion cast debris and burning chunks everywhere, but the Shadow slowly staggered up to its feet all the same; it’s armor had melted and was fused together in places but it still composed itself for another round.

“It’s not done yet? Oracle really wasn’t kidding about these guardians,” Panther complained.

“Wait a minute, it’s not healing the damage yet,” Queen said.

As she noted, the melting armor didn’t revert back after cooling, which left it staggering awkwardly towards us as it couldn’t properly articulate its legs anymore.

“Panther, got another one of those in you?” I asked.

“I’ll be completely spent afterward, but yeah I think so,” she nodded in agreement.

“Queen, hit it with as much fire as you got as well, alternate your attacks with mine.”

“Understood,” she said without hesitation, before bracing her arm and holding her palm out.

Moments later a gout of flame spewed forth before circling around the Shadow, which scattered them with a labored swing of its halberd. I swapped to Black Frost and wasted no time in striking it with blasts of ice. Queen let out a noise of understanding, and Panther caused another eruption. The Shadow couldn’t move enough to avoid the attack, and after another round of refreezing, Queen rushed forward and struck it with all her might.

The Shadow's armor groaned under the force of her blows, and after a severe beating broke apart and fell to the ground in pieces as the three of us eyed it warily. When it didn’t seem like it was getting back up or reforming together at all, Queen and I shared a nod and we glanced towards the two Foxes. They hadn’t moved once since they initially stared each other down, both with their hands on their sheathed swords.

“Were they really just standing around the entire time we were fighting?” Panther grumbled.

Possibly, though I hazarded that they were more likely sizing each other up... Or at least pretending to. It felt like something he’d do, at least. No matter the reason though I noticed the two of them had gotten into a stalemate where likely the first one to flinch would be cut down; that was the type of tension in the air.

“I get the feeling Oracle would like this kind of situation,” I mused.

“What do you mean?” Queen asked.

I crouched to palm a piece of debris, taking a couple steps forward and gazing at the two motionless men. And at the sight of Naoki bound on the cross.

“It’s like one of those moments you see in movies and anime,” Panther nodded. “W-wait, Violet what are you doing!? You can’t just-“

“We can’t waste the whole metaphorical day in here. Plus,” I turned to smile at the two of them as I gently tossed the chunk of stone, “I have faith in our Fox. Don’t you?”

It flew in a lazy arc, but the instant it clattered to the ground between Thief and Warden they moved. The fake moved slightly faster, already half a step forward by the time our Fox reacted, and threw back his sheathe as he swung his blade. The true one hadn’t even drawn his blade yet, instead opting to weave around to the side of his opponent as he deflected the slice at the cost of two fingers. When his blade had cleared its sheath, the fight had already been decided.

In the next instant the two were facing away from each other, back to back, with Fox’s sword impaling the fake through the chest.

“How... Brazenly cowardly,” the Warden lamented.

“I have no words for you, obstacle and failure. Vanish from my friend’s heart and never return,” Fox seethed.

Despite the fact his left hand was missing the back two fingers, the three of us were frozen in place by the sight of his anger. Fox ripped his blade out and decapitated the Warden as he spun around, sheathing it again smoothly before stepping up to the easel and gripping the brush all in a singular smooth motion. His emotions calmed as he looked up at Naoki, and shook his head.

“While it’s true that I wished you had stayed to serve as a guiding compass for my art, there is no sense in tying your hands. An unwilling act lacks both passion and resolve. Moreover, an equal... A true friend is unrestrained by things such as distance or common sense. If I thought I truly had created a masterpiece, I would find you wherever you are and bring you to see it!” He proudly declared.

“I think friends are supposed to keep a _little_ common sense though,” Panther mumbled.

“More importantly, your hand! Fox, are you okay!?” Queen called out.

Fox didn’t react. Instead he stared as the straitjacket binding Naoki came undone, dropping the boy to the ground. Fox moved towards him as he stood up, and offered the brush to him.

“I apologize, for leaving you with doubt in your mind,” he quietly intoned.

The boy wordlessly nodded, taking the brush as the end caught fire suddenly, and tossed it into the confessional.

—

“Come in,” came the voice behind the door.

Naoki inhaled slowly and steeled himself, prepared for yet another disappointment. How many did this make now? Eight, at least. And not a single one seemed to carry a single trustworthy bone in their body.

He opened the door and stepped into the quaint little office, a coffee table separating a sofa from an office chair. The desk rested against the back wall, and there was a bookshelf to the side covered in different knick-knacks: puzzles, crosswords, a few decks of cards, and books of different varieties. At the very least, this therapist seemed to understand the importance of a welcoming environment. It wouldn’t fool Naoki though.

“Sit wherever you’d like, though perhaps not on the table,” the bob-cut woman lightly laughed.

He sat down and eyed her closely. Black hair, well maintained. Clear blue eyes, perhaps she was from up north. Lightly tanned skin, a loose blouse with no tie, and tight fitting black slacks. Casual, but still slightly formal.

“So, let’s see... Your name’s Takenaka Naoki, correct?”

He nodded, hiding his wariness behind a timid smile and simple joke, “So I’ve heard.”

“Hm, a good sense of humor too. Before we begin, there’s a bit of paperwork to sign. Just confidentiality stuff, nothing major.”

He nodded, looking it over careful to make sure it was all on the level. At least one therapist had tried to slip in a clause that they would be sharing the results with his guardians. That had soured him on them immediately, and he left on the spot even though it had upset Misao. After signing and handing it back, the woman continued.

“My name is pronounced Hitaka Aki, by the way. So, what brings you here today, Takenaka-kun?”

He closed his eyes and let out a small sigh. The explanation had become rote by now, but it was still tiring to say every time. “Furusawa Shouichi, my father, remarried to a woman named Misao. Now Furusawa Misao, I suppose. She sent me here due to the treatment I receive at school.”

He paused as Hitaka nodded and took some notes. Next she’d ask him about Shouichi’s surname and the nature of their relationship, just like all the others. Because _that_ was always the interesting part to them, and the fact that he was a 'Takenaka'. Though the latter usually came out after two or three more questions, as they realized exactly who he was. The number of questions before realization sank in grew larger the further away from Shizuoka prefecture Misao sent him, but ultimately every single therapist compared him to his sister in some way. As though the same thing would happen to him. He had his wits about him though, he never would allow something like that.

But they always asked all the same. He was a _curiosity_ to them, not a person.

“Your surname is different from your parents? I see... So what kind of treatment are you getting at school?”

Naoki blinked, caught off guard. Had she put it all together already? Or was she genuinely more interested in his problem? It didn’t exactly matter to him in the end, since ultimately it all came back to his family regardless, but this one seemed to have potential.

“You probably can guess, but targeted harassment and bullying,” he evenly replied. "Though it's admittedly amusing to see what they write on the desk each time these days."

“I see... And the faculty are less than helpful, I take it,” she sympathetically said.

Naoki snorted, “If anything they’re on the students’ side.”

“Really? What makes you say that?”

It was a slightly different path this time, but in the end she’d arrive at the same endpoint as the others.

“Because of my family,” he quietly muttered.

“I see... If it’s not too rude, may I ask about that? I noticed you refer to your parents by their first names. That tells me there’s a bit of distance there, too.”

She doubled back down the other road. Not exactly telling, but at least it wasn’t jumping right into the pit.

“Shouichi’s my birth father, before you start talking about adoption,” Naoki darkly muttered. “But we aren’t exactly close, as you noted. A lot happened... I don’t think that relationship will ever be mended, but as far as I can tell we’re both satisfied with how things are right now. He’s happily remarried and employed, and I’m used to taking care of myself.”

“Was there abuse?” The therapist raised her eyebrow.

Naoki opened his mouth, and hesitated. This wasn’t how he expected this to go, but that only meant he had to be that much more careful. He had assumed the therapists were always coming after _him_ , hoping to throw him into some institution like his sister, but... Would they go after Shouichi? It’d be a waste after Naoki saved him, after they both finally regained a semblance of happiness.

There wouldn’t be any evidence anyways, and the town seemed to warm up to Shouichi after he ‘denounced’ the Takenaka by claiming his old family name back.

“A little, but he was in a very dark spot himself. I convinced him to get therapy himself though, and... Well, he’s happily remarried as I just said,” Naoki explained.

“That’s awfully brave and considerate of you. How old are you again?” She asked.

“Fifteen, in my first year of high school.”

“And you’re happy with how things with your father are right now?”

“I had always been closer to mother, but... I’m not dissatisfied, no,” Naoki shook his head. "I do my thing, he does his. If something needs both of us to take care of it, we handle it like reasonable adults."

“Adults... I see. Did the bullying just start in high school? You mentioned it was due to your family...“ She trailed off.

“For seven years and change,” he casually admitted.

“Sev-... It’s been a problem for that long!?”

He nodded slowly. “I’ve gotten used to it, but it seems as though Misao won’t accept that. Perhaps the school’s pressuring the two of them about it.“

“Has your family considered moving?”

“We don’t have the money for it, and nobody would want to buy our current home.”

“Sorry for the sudden topic shift, but what was the reason why you didn’t change your family name along with your father?”

Naoki froze in place. It was the first time anyone had ever asked him that. The first time anyone suggested he might be anything other than a cursed child of a family of monsters. But it was a reminder of everything that happened to him, to his sister, to his mom. Just because his name changed, it wouldn’t change his origins. And that felt dangerous. If he ever forgot and slipped up...

“I... Don’t want to lose my ties to my sister. It’d feel like I was betraying her, I guess...“ Even though she was the one who had betrayed his expectations.

“A sister hmm... Is she close to you?”

That startled a laugh out of the boy. “W-well, maybe. It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other. I hope she’s doing better now...”

“A while... Seven years perhaps?” Hitaka smiled ruefully.

His eyes widened, and then narrowed slightly. “Yes...”

The therapist glanced at her wrist, and then nodded. “Unfortunately, we’re running low on time. Before we stop for the day is there anything in particular you’d like to talk about?”

“I think we’ve both said all that needs to be said.” He smiled blandly.

“I see. In that case, you’re free to go.”

She gestured to the door, and Naoki slowly stood up.

“I’m sorry about what happened to your sister,” she muttered sympathetically.

 _Mistake._ Naoki smiled sweetly, waving dismissively. “It’s in the past.”

He hurried out of the office, letting out a sigh of disappointment as he made his way towards the train station. Dangerous, that one was far too dangerous. She almost had him, if she hadn’t felt the urge to be ‘sympathetic’. How laughable, that her _pity_ was what sold her out in the end.

The fact she was likeable made it all the harder to admit he’d never come back for another session.

—

My eyes refocused as I stared at the burnt confessional, a firm hand clasping my shoulder with three fingers. I glanced up at the owner and shook my head.

“It’s fine, that one honestly wasn’t even that bad... Though, it does sort of explain why he felt so betrayed by doctor Maruki,” I sighed.

“‘If only I had realized sooner,’ I believe were his words. To think, all of this might not even have happened if Maruki had known about Naoki’s family,” Fox mused.

“Or it might have been even worse. Getting tangled up in what-ifs won’t do us any good, right?” I smiled.

“Indeed. Let us take our leave of this place,” Fox nodded. “I am more than done with the sight.”

“Um... That’s great and all but like... You... We should take a look at your hand right!?” Panther suggested.

“Hm? Ah I see. Hgk!” Fox choked back a shout of pain as he noticed his hand. “I was so impassioned, I didn’t even notice! It hurts less than I thought though.”

“J-just sit down and I’ll take care of it, alright?” Panther hurriedly sat him down on one of the untouched pews.

Queen and I made our way to the door in the meantime.

“I’m really not looking forward to going back through that maze,” I sighed.

“I know what you mean. Moreover, weren't we invited here? I worry how we’ll fare without Oracle to guide us,” Queen said.

I considered waiting for the other two before we started making our way back, but when we opened the doors at the back of the cathedral... We saw the rest of the group looking back at us in equal surprise to my own.

“Did you guys do it!?” Skull exclaimed.

“I... Huh? What happened to the maze?” I blinked in confusion.

“Perhaps it was created by the Warden? It was rather irregular compared to the others. The Shadow accompanying him didn’t regenerate either,” Queen pointed out.

“Is everyone okay?” Noir asked.

“Panther!”

Mona rushed in to greet the two still in the back, while Oracle seemed distracted by something. I tried following her gaze but didn’t find anything in particular, so instead I opted to pat her shoulder.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

“...Who even says that anymore?” Oracle turned to look at me, “Hitaka Aki, the name sounded familiar... But I can’t place where I would’ve heard it before.”

“Do you think it’s relevant to his current condition?” I frowned.

“Mm, I doubt it, but I gotta collect all the evidence before court day regardless! Can't just go around presenting badges.”

“W-well, let me know if anything important comes of it,“ I half-heartedly sighed before turning back around. “How are you holding up Queen?”

“I held back as much as I could during that fight. You’re planning on the jailhouse my Warden is occupying next, right?” She responded.

It was nice having someone so quick on the uptake. Often it felt like she knew my plans better than _I_ did. I wouldn’t bother bringing up that she should be the leader instead of me, I dealt with the difference between coming up with a plan and actually making the decision enough now that I realized at least some of the nuance that went into being the decision maker. Plus, there was something _else_ about leading a team as well, though I didn't know how to articulate it well.

“Exactly. We’ll be bringing Noir and... Well, I was going to have Mona accompany us but he seems preoccupied.” I looked back at the cat worrying over Panther as she tried to force him away while healing Fox.

“At least he’s not buggin’ me. Sorry, Ann,” Skull lowered his head apologetically. “I’m fine for both jails, leader. Besides, Queen’s is exactly my kinda fight.”

I nodded and turned to Oracle. “Can you keep an eye on the three of them? And let me know if anything comes up. We still haven’t heard from Kumiko yet, right?”

She shook her head. “Nothing, and I’ve been keeping an eye out for her too.”

I nodded and took the three Thieves I had chosen, our destination thankfully right beside the jailhouse we were just in. It would have been more annoying if we had to worry about the helicopters overhead.

Just like before, as Queen approached the jailhouse a set of doors materialized in front of her. Forcing them open, we saw the open-space facility, three stories on either side lined with cells and a large courtyard in the center. There were no Shadows in this one, just the lone Warden standing in the center of the room with her arms folded as she stared at us. A straight brawl with no tricks, just like Skull was hoping for.

“Welcome, Thieves. It’s time to pay for your crimes.”


	12. Rat Race

_ "The victim was the father. Fortunately there were no fatalities, and the culprit has been taken into custody pending her trial..."  
_ -Excerpt from a news article.  


“Fist. Of. Justice!”

The battle cry accompanied a flying Skull as he went straight through a concrete wall with a loud groan of pain, debris scattering around him. So far the fight was not exactly going in our favor. It was her chosen arena, and while a direct confrontation should have favored our side with our greater numbers... 

“Naoki-senpai, Queen isn’t  _ this _ strong!” I wailed.

“I’m so embarrassed,” our Queen muttered.

“Ahaha, there there... It’s not really that bad,” our ‘Beauty Thief’ consoled.

“If you have time to be lackadaisical, you have time to fight!” The Warden shouted.

She barreled straight at the three of us, sweeping Noir’s legs out from under her while simultaneously ducking beneath a haphazard punch thrown by Queen. I had waited for her to commit before striking myself, but she was too quick on her feet. As my sword came down, she parried with her knuckles and rose with a blow to my stomach. It threw me off my feet and several yards back, my ribs straining under the force of the blow, and left me gasping for air.

“Kh... She’s not even using a Persona! How is this at all fair!?” Skull coughed as he dusted debris off of himself.

After sending me flying, the Warden performed a flawless axe kick on Noir, cracking the ground beneath her and leaving her laid out on her back. Queen went for another jab, this time actually connecting though... Not with enough force to do any noticeable damage. The Warden retaliated with a roundhouse that Queen smoothly ducked under, going for an uppercut as a natural followthrough which the Warden avoided by leaning back. She gained the upper hand by continuing the motion into a bicycle kick, knocking our tactician off her feet even though she guarded the blow.

Watching two equally skilled fighters go at it like that was quite a sight, but unfortunately we weren’t here to watch an MMA match. I summoned Dionysus and, while the Warden’s attention was still focused on Queen, I flung a painfully colorful orb of energy at her. She only noticed after it was too late, and attempted to smack it away with her fist which caused it to explode into an violent light as she yelped in pain.

Queen took advantage of the opening by throwing three quick punches into her center of mass, knocking the Warden off balance and finishing with a low kick to the back of her shin. Stepping out from Queen’s shadow, Skull brought down his mace right into the imposter’s gut and smashed her into the ground. And yet in spite of that, it still didn't feel like we had the upper hand.  They both cautiously leapt back when the Warden growled, and a motorcyclist whose ride appeared to be on fire suddenly burst out of one of the cells to sweep in front of her protectively.

“Finally gonna get serious now huh? Took ya long enough,” Skull taunted.

The Warden slowly staggered to her feet, wiping her lip and spitting blood to the side. She was smirking, as though she knew something we didn’t.

“Be caref-”

Cutting off my warning, the Shadow she summoned briefly flickered like an old television image with poor signal before exploding in a shower of shrapnel and psychedelic sparks. Noir stood up from her crouched position, her grenade launcher clattering to the ground and her Persona's guns smoking. She looked out of breath and sweat covered her brow, and had to prop herself up with her axe.  


“Hmph, like that will be enough to-... What?” The Warden gazed at the exploded Hell Biker, her eyes widening. When the debris didn't show any signs of reforming, she shouted at us, “You  _ lowlifes _ , what did you do to Oracle!?”

“We didn’t lift a damn finger!” Skull shouted back, punctuating his remark with another swing of his mace.

Even though she still guarded the blow, I noticed the Warden’s movements were sluggish now, that same slight distortion coating her like a transparent film. Either our Oracle was finally getting serious, or the injuries we caused earlier were actually leaving a mark. Ideally it would've been both.  


“Queen, Skull!”

I made a dramatic showing of grappling towards the ceiling, as three sets of eyes followed me up. Skull, Noir, and the Warden all followed my movements to see what I’d do, but fortunately Queen at least understood my intention. All I did was hang from the rafters, as she slammed the Warden clean in the face. The imitation Queen fell onto her back, the strength gone from her body.  Even though the fake didn’t get up from the ground, I wasn’t going to take any chances. I dropped from the rafters and summoned Cu Chulainn, impaling the Warden and catching myself with my Persona’s free arm. I watched her as she vanished and left behind a clay mug, making sure she wasn’t going to get back up for round two or something.

“That doesn’t get any less unpleasant to watch,” I finally sighed.

“I stand by what I said before, but it  _ is _ somewhat surreal watching yourself vanish like that,” Queen agreed.

“Let’s hurry up and get this key to Naoki,” Skull said. “Wait... It’s a mug? How’s that supposed to work... We don’t hafta make him tea or something do we?”

“I’m sure we just need to give it to him like with the others. More importantly is everyone alright?” I asked, glancing at all three of them as Noir joined us.

“I think she might've cracked one of my ribs...“ Skull admitted.

“It’s a good thing true Justice won out in the end, right?” Noir happily said.

“Y-yes... Sit down Skull, I’ll take care of you. Why don’t you help Violet look for the proper Naoki, if you’re feeling alright Noir,” Queen said. “Actually, she struck you pretty hard, are you sure you’re alright?”

“Yes, I’m alright! My stomach hurts a bit, but it’s not any worse than the usual,” she replied. “Shall we look for Naoki-kun, Violet?”

I nodded, and we split off from the other two; we made our way over to the left side of the room, following the rows of jail cells. Like the first one we saw, each of these had its own Naoki sitting in it, though most of them were... Different. Rather than dejected, they looked almost content. But like the one in Fox’s jailhouse, they were all slightly too young for any of them to be  _ my _ Naoki.

“What do you think this one will be?” Haru must have sensed my slight unease, since she struck up a conversation as casually as she could manage. “Maybe something about brewing? Considering his family, it wouldn’t surprise me if the mug had something to do with tea ceremonies.”

“You come from a really wealthy family too, right senp... Noir?” I asked.

“It wasn’t really much of one before my father took over the company. There isn’t any deep history like there seems to be with Naoki-kun’s family. It was mostly dinner parties I didn’t feel comfortable at rather than formal ceremonies...”

“Oh.” I winced, realizing the trap I nearly stepped into. “I’m sorry, Noir.”

“How about you, Violet? I don’t really know much about your family at all. If you don’t mind sharing that is,” she deftly stepped around the issue.

“It’s fine. My parents aren’t anything particularly special. My father is the director for Good Morning Tokyo and my mo-”

“Really!?” Noir cut in.

“A-ah, yes?” I blinked. “Are you a viewer?”

“Oh, no not at all! But my father turned down requests on a few occasions to be interviewed on the show. It was just surprising, if he accepted then we might’ve gotten to know each other before any of this happened,” she explained.

“Life works in mysterious ways,” I mused as we passed by a cell, my eyes locking briefly with Naoki’s. I doubled backed after a beat, tugging on Haru’s sleeve. “...Wait, Noir.”

“Oh? Did you find the right one?”

“I think so, look.” I held up the cup, and demonstrated how Naoki’s eyes were drawn to it.

There was a small counter for inserting objects into the jail cells, so I placed it there and slid it in toward him. His gaze followed it, and then he looked at the two of us with a gentle frown.

—

Steam gently wafted off of the two hazy cups on the table, the scent of green tea heavy in the air. The usual ceremonial accoutrements had been left in storage, untouched for the better half of a decade. As far as Naoki was concerned, the ways of the Takenaka family were dead. It had been a fun game to him as a child, but the harshness of reality had been instilled into him at a tragically young age. Not that he particularly minded that now. Students would still pick on him, but he found it easier to ignore them without so much pressure on him to solve the situation at home. Shouichi, his father, had quit drinking and found a new job that he seemed happy with.  The distance between the two of them would probably never be removed, but there wasn't a pressing need to. Both of them understood their boundaries and situation, and Naoki was already self-sufficient. He wouldn’t let himself forget how everything had started, those tragic memories forever burned into his mind, and swore to himself that he would do as much good as he could. Maybe it was out of defiance for the selfish and esoteric family history that had led to his birth, but doing good to others felt right. Like how he had saved his father, when given the chance. Maybe it was a form of repentance, rather than defiance.  


“...Naoki-kun?” The woman sitting across from him drew his attention back. 

The mousy brunette acted slightly uncomfortable around him, though he couldn’t ever figure out why. Her expression was hard to read, not because of how blurry it was—his vision wasn’t  _ that _ bad—but because she seemed conflicted on something. Furusawa Misao was her name now, Shouichi had finished submitting the marriage papers a month ago. She had helped Shouichi get the resources he needed, since Naoki hadn’t had the knowledge or capacity to actually send his father to therapy at the age of twelve.

And now two years later the two of them had gotten married. They joked that their bachelor friend was a natural matchmaker, but the reality was more that he had been the only person Shouichi could rely on. Naoki owed whoever it was quite a lot, but he hadn’t ever thought to ask Shouichi about whoever it was.

“Naoki?” She repeated, shifting in her seat.

“My apologies.” He tilted his head to the side slightly. “You requested an audience?”

“There’s no need to be so formal with me,” she sighed.

“True, the era of our position as daimyo is pretty far behind us,” he sincerely joked.

“I-... What?”

“Congratulations on your marriage,” he quickly swapped topics, as though he hadn’t even made the quip. “I owe you a life debt.”

“A-are we Yakuza now?” She sputtered.

“...Possibly?” He twirled a lock of hair thoughtfully. “Unfortunately I’m not sure how much overlap the Takenaka family has with underworld organizations. There’s probably something in the records.”

There was a drawn out and awkward silence.

“What did you want to talk about?” He tried.

“About the Takenaka family, actua-”

“Unfortunately, there isn’t anything to say,” he interrupted flatly.

“Sorry.” She winced as if struck. “I-I was going to ask why you told Shouichi not to change your family name.”

“I believe I just answered that,” he said evenly.

“It would be nice if you could open up a little with me, I  _ am _ your mom now.”

Naoki raised an eyebrow. “Unfortunately, my mother has been dead for six years now. I’m not sure you want her position.”

“Th-that’s not really what...” She bit her lip, taking a sip of tea to pause. “I know you’ve had it rough, Naoki-kun. I’m sorry that you’ve had to go through so much.”

“I understand it in Shouichi,” Naoki said, “But why are you making such an effort when you’re so uncomfortable with me?”

“Wh-... I’m not uncomfortable. I’m just worried about you!” She stammered.

Naoki tilted his head in confusion. “But I’m fine.”

He meant it, too. Naoki was in a far better position now than before with less demand on his part to handle  _ everything _ . He still did all his own cooking and cleaning, quite content to live mostly independently. Shouichi still was wary of actually eating anything he made, but when his new partner ate Naoki’s cooking it went a long way in assuaging the paranoia still plaguing the man.

In that sense she had helped win Naoki back some trust with Shouichi, even though the manner in which she had originally done it felt disingenuous, like she was humoring a child rather than actually judging the food on its own merits. A twinge of satisfaction rushed through his mind as he recalled how surprised she was with the quality of his food.  


“You say that, but you still cook and eat your meals separate from us.”

Naoki nodded. “Yes, Shouichi has a fair bit of lingering trauma. I’m thankful you’re able to take care of him.”

She shook her head, “Why don’t you join us for dinner when I cook though?”

“You’ve been with him for two years,” Naoki smiled. “I’m sure you’ve noticed how he reflexively tenses up whenever I’m around. It’s better for all parties involved that things be this way.”

“But-”

“Besides, I like cooking.”

Misao sighed, hanging her head. “You know, this entire time you’ve been squinting at me. If you don’t like me, or something about it, I’d like to know why.”

Naoki blinked in surprise. “I was being sincere when I told you I owed you, Misao. If that’s all that’s bothering you I apologize. It’s habitual.”

He forced his face to relax, though it meant everything blurred slightly worse. The two of them sat there in silence for a long moment, though he couldn’t tell what she was thinking about. It looked vaguely like she was frowning though.

“It’s alright if you don’t feel like opening up just yet, but I’m at least going to take you to the lens store,” she eventually said.

Naoki’s smile wilted. “Unfortunately, the local glasses store won’t offer me a prescription.”

“Then we’ll keep trying other stores until we find one that will.”

He nodded thoughtfully to himself. Misao really was a good person, on top of being rather compatible with Shouichi. Naoki idly wondered what he could do to make sure she’d be happy. It seemed like he was the source of her discomfort, so he’d work as hard as he needed to in order to demonstrate he wouldn’t be a problem for her.

—

“We weren’t the only ones who couldn’t reach him...” Noir quietly muttered.

“After everything he went through, I can’t really blame him for not really wanting to talk about it...” I agreed. “But we’ll bring him back. Right?”

“Right.” Noir nodded.

“Let’s head back to the others, I bet they’re feeling antsy to clean up here. I know I am.”

We met back up with Queen and Skull in short order, considering we could simply jump over the ledge and walk up to them; the layout of the jailhouse was rather convenient in that respect. Apparently the vision had interrupted Queen’s healing, and I joined Skull in sitting uncomfortably as I realized I still had what felt like a fractured rib. Noir's breath was still short, which meant she probably wasn't doing that much better. _Ironic that we're all emulating the worst part of him._ I mused to myself.  


After being duly chastised—and healed—by Queen the four of us returned to the group and a freshly ten fingered Fox replaced Queen on the team, who was running on empty and needed the break after that brawl, and Mona tagged in for Noir. Oracle hadn’t picked up any sign of Kumiko still, but it seemed like the Shadows were at least staying quiet. Maybe it wasn’t specifically our actions that caused them to go berserk, but Kumiko’s presence. It would fit in line with the way Naoki-senpai seemed to think of her.

“Careful Violet,” Mona warned as he gripped the tail of my coat, stopping me from absentmindedly wandering directly into the path of a searchlight. “Now’s not the time to get distracted.”

“Right, sorry. Are we all ready?”

I looked over the group as they all confirmed they were, and Mona stepped up to the building... And nothing happened.

“Did we get it wrong somehow?” Fox rubbed his chin.

“Heheh, maybe Mona doesn’t even wanna talk to  _ himself _ ,” Skull taunted.

“Oracle? Can you fill us in?” I tried.

The rest of the group was hiding in the remnants of the church, though our navigator at least could still keep in contact with us even if she couldn’t see what we were specifically doing. I wasn’t sure how long that would last, considering our luck in these jailhouses.

“Mm... I’m not sensing anything out of the ordinary. Maybe just try the vent like normal? There still should be one there,” came her reply.

We managed to find it in short order, but the problem came when trying to fit inside of it. It was a fair bit smaller than the other vents we had been through, and Mona appeared to be the only one who could actually make his way into it. I held back a comment remarking on the malleability of his head and instead weighed our options. After a long pause and circling the building to avoid the overhead helicopters, I relented. We simply didn't have any other choice from what we could see.  


“It’s risky, but would you be willing to check inside for us Mona?” I asked. “There might be something inside that would help the rest of us get in.”

He nodded. “No need to worry about me, Violet. I’ve been doing this Thief stuff for longer than anyone!”

“But weren’t you locked up in a jail cell when we first found you,” Skull flatly muttered.

“That’s... Different! I was careless and overconfident,” Mona countered.

“Were you not boasting just now?” Fox asked.

“Grrrr whatever! Just wait right there, this is a task only I can do anyways!” Mona grumbled, clambering back into the vent and crawling out of our sight.

“Who wants to bet he’s gonna get himself into some trouble and we’re gonna have to break down the wall or whatever to rescue him,” Skull sighed.

“I at least have faith in his capabilities, if not his demeanor, ” Fox replied.

“Me too. Let’s at least wait to hear back from him,” I agreed.

It took a few minutes, and as our impatience and concern began to mount—in no small part due to having to continuously dodge out of sight from the helicopters—a door materialized in the wall and promptly opened. Mona stood there, with his arms folded and a smug expression on his face.

“Told you guys I could handle it,” he chided. “Here I’m the craftiest among us and yet-”

“Yeah yeah, thanks Mona,” Skull cut him off and marched inside.

Fox and I quickly followed suit and stepped in past the cat, the door closing with a loud click behind us. The inside looked like a normal apartment complex, which immediately struck me as somehow off.  _ Wasn’t it supposed to be Skull’s jailhouse that looked too ordinary? _ Just as I turned around to voice my concern, there was an explosion of smoke and-

***POMF***

“V-Violet, are you okay!?” Skull coughed. For some reason, his voice sounded pitch-shifted.

“Yes I’m fine!” I squeaked back.

“This familiar sensation... This deep craving... Could it be!?” Our eccentric artist seemed distracted by something.

“What’s wrong Fox?” I tried to summon a Persona to blow away the smoke, but for some reason I couldn’t. A shiver of panic ran through me.

Instead a large gust of wind tossed us around and into the walls, as a sinisterly smirking cat burglar loomed over us beside a towering six-armed swordsman.

“I... Crave cheese!” Fox shouted.  


“Dude...“ Skull sighed.

“Hmph, you all really are amateurs. There’s no way Joker would have fallen for so obvious a trap. Perhaps you all dispatched the rest through simple luck? No matter, you’re all mice to the slaughter now,” Mona replied.

“The squeak are you on about!?” Skull shouted.

I paused a moment, glancing down the now ominously large hall, and then at the two mice sporting familiar masks. Skull’s and Fox’s, to be exact. Which meant... 

“Wh... What is this!?” I looked down at my hands, only to find a pair of admittedly adorable mouse paws.

“Ack! This shit’s like Shido all over again,” Skull groaned.

I did my best to ignore the alarm bells ringing in my mind as I turned to Mona, a much larger concern weighing heavier on me. “What did you do with Mona?”

The Warden smiled, “Perhaps you’re not  _ entirely _ useless after all. Good, crushing you wouldn’t be fun otherwise.”

He snapped his fingers... Paw... Beans and the Shadow took a step forward, raising its swords.

“Everyone! Run!” I shouted as best I could. 

“Surely you mean scamper,” Fox calmly replied.

Neither the sprinter nor I humored him with a response as we all  scurried away as fast as we could. The floor reverberated with the force of the swords crashing down into it, throwing off our footing as we fled. There didn’t appear to be anywhere in particular we could go; it wasn’t as if we could reach the doorknobs to enter any of the rooms, and there weren't any convenient mouse holes in the walls.

“Any suggestions!?” I worriedly asked.

“Morgana bears several cat-like qualities. Thus it stands to reason he can’t help but chase after and toy with our mousy forms, no?” Fox said.

“Uh usually what cats do to mice isn’t really ‘toying’ with,” Skull worriedly said. “Also he’s gainin’ on us!”

“Ah! I see. I’ll serve as a distraction then,” I replied.

“Violet? But you’re the most important member of our team currently. If you’re taken out of action-” Fox started.

“I’ll be fine, trust me. The two of you go search for Mona. He’s probably being held somewhere,” I ordered.

They both squeaked in agreement, though neither of them seemed happy to leave me alone with the colossal murderous Shadow and the smarmy Warden. I couldn’t exactly blame them, but out of the three of us I stood the best chance at dodging. Even as a mouse. Perhaps especially as a mouse.

“Facing me alone? That takes guts, but you’re being foolish Violet,” the Warden drawled.

_ If he wants to drag this out, that’s fine by me. _

“You know what they say about a cornered rat,” I bluffed.

“They die like any other. Get rid of this trash,” he ordered his Shadow.

The sword swung down on me moments later, but it was in a slow and predictable arc compared to the ferocity of the previous Warden's punches. I rolled myself to the side, tumbling into the wall as I felt the reverberation of the sword impacting the wooden floor. It swung another blade at me, cutting me off and forcing me to charge straight at Mona; he was baiting me I could tell, considering he hadn’t even moved yet and was still smirking. I pivoted just in time for the third blade to strike right where I would have gone, and instead I dove into the hole left by the first strike.

“Aren’t you just a cowardly one, Violet,” the Warden jeered.

I opened my mouth to respond, then went silent as I instead took in my surroundings briefly. There was a crawl space between the ground and the floor above me, with several wooden supports scattered about. I couldn’t see much else, but it at least appeared safe.

I chuckled. “Cowardly? I’m not the one who had to lure everyone into an obvious trap to get a leg up on them.”

The sword came through the floor, but I had expected it and was already running away. I headed back in the direction of the very first hole the Shadow had made, when we first began fleeing from Mona.

“Oracle, can you hear me?” I squeaked quietly.

“Sorta, why do you sound extra adorable though? Ahh, are you practicing to be a livestreamer maybe?” She replied.

“That’s not important. Listen, we’re currently-”

Three swords all stabbed into the ground in front of me, walling the way off in front of me. When I diverted sideways a gust of wind suddenly kicked up and threw me into one of the support beams, slicing painfully into my body in the process. I stifled the squeak of pain as I realized I was entirely unarmored.  


“Listen, Oracle. Don’t send anyone else in here, there’s some kinda trap that turned us all into mice,” I whimpered out, huddling behind the pillar and peering around.

“What!? Hmm, that sounds kinda like Shido’s Palace...”

“Skull mentioned Shido too,” I whispered.

“Are you alright? I’m doing a search on the building right now,” she said.

“It’s not going great, no. Mona’s Warden tricked us after doing something to the real one, and I’ve broken off from Skull and Fox to distract him and his Shadow while they try to find our Mona. Ideally alongside something that can get us out of this predicament. Currently I’m hiding beneath the floorboards, but it’s only a matter of time-”

I shut my mouth and dove back behind the pillar as I saw the Shadow start widening the hole with his swords, and the Warden dropped down into the crawlspace to sniff around.

“Violet? Are you there!?” Oracle panicked, but I couldn’t respond. "What's going on!?"  


“Oh little mousy, I have some delicious cheese for you,” the Warden taunted.

“I’m still reading your signal, just hang in there!” Oracle said.

Easier said than done, but I wasn’t out of it just yet. The crawl space would be too narrow to dodge in, if I were any larger than a rat. Which meant that my opponent had just made a major blunder. I rounded the corner and feinted away from him; almost before he could even order his Shadow, I charged straight at him and did the only thing I could think of.

I slammed my head right into his center of mass, knocking him off-balance, and leapt back up into the hallway. Quickly looking around I didn’t see anyone but the towering Shadow, and promptly barreled my way back towards the entrance.  _ The door the fake met us at was near the vent, hopefully they’re both close on the inside too. _ It was my only hope for escaping outside to the others, and getting support for Skull and Fox.

Hopefully they were both alright.

“Violet, can you hear me?!” Oracle’s voice suddenly cut in.

“I escaped from the Warden for now, what’s up?” I squeaked.

“Good, you’ll be turning the tables on them in a moment,” she replied.

“I... Huh?”

Rather than answer my question herself, I heard the hacker giggle in my head. The next moment there was another burst of smoke and I was crouched on my hands and knees, human sized once again and looking right up at the front exit.

“Good thing they only had to break it. Skull really only has one setting,” our navigator complained.

“I don’t know what you did, but thanks Oracle!” I stood back up, drawing my sword and turning around with a smile.

We were still in a somewhat narrow hall, but not only did I have an exit to my back, I had my teammates no doubt returning for a pincer attack.

“There was a machine stuck inside one of the rooms emitting some... Mouse-ification rays or something. Dunno. Either way they chewed through the cables and are on their way back. Just hold out for a bit, Violet,” she explained. “I got another round in the chamber for you.”

“What about Mona?” I asked.

“They couldn’t find him, but I’m picking up his signal near you. It’s pretty weak though,” she worriedly said.

The imitation had dragged himself out of the crawl space, his formerly smug expression replaced with a scowl. The Shadow stood just behind him, looming menacingly. Even as a human, it seemed unnaturally tall. He didn’t say anything, ceding the initiative to me.

“What’s wrong? I’m right here. Aren’t you gonna catch me?” I taunted. Mona was generally collected, but after several setbacks would probably have lost his cool; also, this wasn’t the real Mona, but what Naoki thought he was like. Something I had read up on in detail. Which meant I knew he'd fall for it.  


“Destroy her!”

“Black Ooze.”

The Shadow threw one of its swords as it rushed at me, which my Persona caught with its gooey body. By the time it closed the distance to me, I could hear the sound of footsteps in the distance. The monster swung with all its might, but only managed to sink its blades uselessly into my gross looking partner. Even when it tried to twist its swords to summon a tornado, Black Ooze simply expanded a little before contracting and burbling with a laugh.

“Physical attacks and wind... Now who’s the one falling for the obvious ploys?” I stared past the Shadow at the Warden, feigning a lack of concern.

If he figured out my plan, it’d make this a lot messier.

“Why you two-bit upstart rooki-” he cut himself off, his eyes widening. “Back to me! We have company!”

_ Shoot.  _ I clicked my teeth as the Shadow turned around and started running back... In slow motion? It’s movements weren’t  _ sluggish _ but it was like the Shadow had been struck by some time dilation effect. Not only that but it looked like it was struggling to hold up its swords as well.

At the same time, Skull and Fox busted out through a door on the side, grinning triumphantly as they leveled their guns at the Warden.

“Later, two-bit fake,” Skull threw back at him, and they blew the Warden away.

The Shadow vanished moments later, leaving me to catch my breath in relief.

“Well? Well? Did you like my nerf round? Hehe, bet it came in handy didn’t it?” Oracle chirped happily in my head. "You didn't even mention it after Queen's jail."  


“Yeah. Sorry for not thanking you for before, either,” I earnestly said. "It really saved us in there."  


“It’s a little trickier than amplifying your power, but I’m not a pro navi for nothing!” I could practically imagine her puffing her chest out proudly.

“We didn’t encounter Mona at all, but we did manage to find Naoki...“ Fox trailed off, seeming distracted by something.

“Ah, he’s by the entrance I think. That’s what Oracle was telling me at least,” I explained.

We picked up the key from the Warden—a short sword—and searched around the entrance for Mona. It didn’t take long for us to find him, stuffed in a laundry room by the door and both unconscious and bound up. After Skull satisfied himself by raking Mona over the coals, I had him and Fox lead us back to where they found Naoki. When we encountered him, I realized why the artist had seemed distracted before: it was a much, much younger Naoki—elementary school age at the oldest—and he was quivering in fear in the corner of one of the rooms. 

When I gently tossed the sheathed blade at his feet, his eyes widened and he looked up at me. He looked lost and confused, and as the world turned white I almost thought I could hear him ask, ‘why?’

—

“You’re pathetic.” His sister’s voice coldly rang out in the living room. “No wonder Ritsuko abandoned us.”

Shouichi was sprawled out against the wall, an unkempt beard on his face and stains on his suit from alcohol. The furious speaker was standing on top of the table, cups and papers scattered about as she looked away from Naoki. He had been talking with his sister earlier, about how difficult things had gotten after Ritsuko left the family household. They were just two kids, it was a lot to ask a nine year old and twelve year old to manage all of the family’s affairs; they couldn’t rely on Shouichi for it, the man had been reduced to a useless drunk.

In Kumiko’s hand was a paring knife, which she twirled with an eerie amount of skill. Delicately, she jumped from the table and stared down the confused man, his eyes widening as he looked between her, Naoki, and the knife.

“K-Kumiko-chan?” He nervously said.

“Don’t you  _ dare _ call me that, you worthless degenerate,” every syllable she pronounced was laced with venom. “After what happened to mother... Mm, yes. There's only one thing to do . Ehehe~ I hope mother will be proud of me.”

She stepped towards him as Naoki reached his hand up, words caught in his throat. There was a haze of madness in the air, it was just like before; and just like before, he was helpless to do anything to stop it. His legs quaked in fear. All he had done was talk with his sister, and she seemed so kind and considerate to him then... They were going to tell Shouichi that something needed to change.

“W-wait, please. Kumi-”

“I said  _ DON’T CALL ME THAT! _ ” She shouted, stumbling forward into a dash. “It’s your fault. It’s your fault, it’s your fault it’s your faultit’syourfaultit’syourfault!”

There was a gasp, a splatter of blood against the tatami, and a cackle. Kumiko staggered away, clutching her face and howling with laughter.

“S-serves you right! Asshole! Scum! Ahahaha~ Go apologize to mom before you’re sent to hell!”

She stumbled as her legs gave out and fell to the side, the bloody paring knife still tightly gripped in her hands, and Naoki saw Shouichi frozen in shock. His face was completely pale, and a dark red spot was quickly spreading over his chest.  _ Just like before, just like before, it was just like before.  _ Panic raced through him as that terrifying memory of a year and change prior resurfaced. Too soon, it was too soon. Why did it turn out like this?

He ran over to Shouichi and Kumiko, tears streaking his face as he put his hands to his father’s chest.

“D-don’t go... Please,” he sobbed.

Naoki couldn’t tell if he was breathing or not, but there was a lot of blood. Too much blood. He thought he heard Ritsuko’s voice telling him to call an ambulance, but that should’ve been impossible... Even still, he rushed out into the hall and nearly tackled the phone stand.

His conversation with emergency services was a blur, but he remembered the phone stained red, Shouichi wheeled out on a stretcher as the EMTs muttered something, his sister being apprehended and sedated, and the eyes of adults staring at him and his red stained hands. Eyes judging him and his sanity as he cried.

That night, Takenaka Naoki was the only one left in the family home.

—

There was an uncomfortable silence as the four of us left the jailhouse and met with the others. The helicopters overhead had ceased their patrols, but none of us had paid much attention to it. Only when the full group was reunited in the church did anyone break the silence.

“That must have been when it happened, huh... His Palace, I mean,” Panther muttered.

“To think, his sister was the cause,” Fox nodded along.

“You think his old man’s got a Palace too? No wonder he didn’t get along with his parents,” Skull said.

“I didn’t really get the feeling he was particularly distorted though,” Noir mentioned.

“Wait. I think we’re overlooking something here,” Queen addressed the group. “Her words implied that something happened to their mother beforehand. Perhaps this isn't the cause but-”

“Guys? We have something a bit more pressing to address,” Oracle cut in.

She pointed at the entrance, where Kumiko stood. With the appearance of an adult rather than the little girl we just saw, twirling a familiar paring knife. Her yellow eyes seemed to glow in the gloom, as she smiled at all of us.

“Congratulations, you all really did it. Well, I knew you  _ would _ but... You all really are quite good at the Thief stuff aren’t you?” She lightly said.

Nobody moved. Nobody spoke.

“...What? Are you really gonna hold the past against me like that?” She quirked an eyebrow. “You know, out of all of that, the part Naokkun regrets is that I didn’t take his hand instead. Ehehe, the poor boy was all lost and alone, and his precious big sister left him with a worthless piece of trash.”

“How... How  _ dare _ yo-” Queen started.

“I regret that, of course. But then you all know that I would. I am, after all, a piece of Naokkun’s mind. If there’s anyone you should direct that hatred towards, it would be the real Kumiko, wouldn’t it?” The cognitive Kumiko interrupted.

“Yeah, you’re just a distortion based on his memories. Which means as far as we can tell you’re a murdering lunatic,” Oracle countered.

“Ahahaha!” The cognition gripped her face and laughed in a hauntingly cheery tone. “Oh you are all just  _ precious _ . But we’re wasting daylight, don’t you want me to hold up my end of the bargain? Or... Perhaps you want to put me back in a cage. Kill the Wardens but take their places, wouldn't _that_ be an interesting bit of irony.”

I looked around at the group and nodded slowly. “Fine, take us there. We’ll continue this discussion afterwards.” 

I locked eyes with Oracle, the unspoken request answered by a resolute nod.  _ I really am lucky to have such intelligent people to rely on _ . We all followed her out, walking on eggshells in spite of the absolute silence surrounding us. Kumiko didn’t make a single suspicious move, she simply walked up to the flat of the hexagonal wall around the central building and put her hand to it.

A loud keening noise pierced our ears as I fell to my knees and held my head, the building groaning as though it were struggling against her. After a moment, the wall shattered into black particles and revealed a plain looking pair of double doors.

“After you~” Kumiko bowed dramatically to us.

“Ar-” Mona started.

“Not this time,” I interrupted. “You do the honors for us, oh treasured sister.”

She laughed and shrugged her shoulders, pushing open the doors. The next moment, the report of a gunshot split the air, and she fell backwards. A hole in her forehead oozed blackness, her eyes wide in shock as she motionlessly stared upward.

“Must I really handle  _ everything _ for your bumbling group, Phantom Thieves?” A familiar voice raised the hairs on the back of my neck.

Standing in the doorway, pistol smoking and clad in a striped black and blue outfit, was Akechi Goro.


End file.
